Public schools have experienced a major increase in sexual abuse over the past decade, according to a recent report by the Defense of Freedom Institute (DFI), which blames the rise on local, state, and federal officials not doing enough to hold perpetrators accountable.
In many cases, agreements between school districts and teachers unions even promote hiding records of misconduct and sexual assault, DFI says.
The DFI report (pdf), titled “Catching the Trash,” is based on federal data from 2015 to 2018 for over 97,000 schools across the United States. Researchers found a 74 percent increase in rape or attempted rape at these schools.
“This report uncovers failures at every level to protect students from sexual abuse in public K–12 schools,” said Bob Eitel, DFI president and co-founder, in a statement. “What’s most shocking is the lengths to which teacher union leaders will go to protect their members suspected of abusing students and the number of states that have ignored their ESEA ‘pass the trash’ obligations.”
Local education agencies and unions use collective bargaining and nondisclosure agreements to hide the records of abusive employees, the report says, adding that union leaders use their influence in many state legislatures to lobby against measures that would hold perpetrators accountable.
Abuse Reports Increased
For the 2015–16 school year, the U.S. Department of Education’s Civil Rights Data Collection reported 9,649 incidents of sexual violence. In the 2017–18 school year, there were 13,799 incidents, a 43 percent increase in cases reported.
From 2010 to 2019, complaints to the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights about sexual assault in K–12 schools more than tripled, according to the report.
Despite the fact that schools are mandated by law to investigate sexual abuse and to notify parents or document the investigation in the employee’s personnel file, very few follow through to hold the teacher accountable, which leads to passing the teacher to another school, the report said.
The practice is dubbed “passing the trash.”
The report aims to do three things: 1) assess sexual abuse policies at the state and federal level that allow for “passing the trash” in K–12 schools, with a focus on three key players—public school administrators and school district officials, teachers unions, and federal officials; 2) look at how the current system leads to a breakdown in accountability; and 3) propose strategies to overcome bureaucratic inaction and union obstruction at the state and federal levels.
There are attitudes and silent agreements that allow for the “passing of the trash,” or not taking action against perpetrators of sexual abuse at all.
According to the DFI report, incomplete background checks, the failure to share information between school districts, and collective bargaining agreements are all key contributors to the problem.
The DFI report cites the Government Accountability Office’s (GAO) 2010 report on sexual abuse (pdf), which further illuminates why administrators resort to “passing the trash.”
According to the DFI report, one public school administrator told GAO that “it could cost up to $100,000 to fire a teacher, even with ‘a slam dunk case.’” Other officials told GAO that “depending on the terms of a separation agreement, school administrators may not be able to provide anything less than a positive recommendation for an employee for fear of a potential lawsuit.”
In spite of mandatory reporting laws that require school employees in certain capacities to report any suspicion of abuse, research has shown that teachers and other school employees report their colleagues to law enforcement or child welfare agencies in only about 5 percent of sexual abuse cases, the report said.
Past Efforts to Stop Abuse
Some of the more recent efforts by the federal government to stop the practice of “passing the trash” included former U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos publishing Title IX regulations prohibiting sexual harassment, including sexual assault.
Prior to that in 2015, Sens. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) and Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) introduced an amendment to Section 8546 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), requiring states to pass laws prohibiting school employees from “passing the trash.”
The Senate voted unanimously in favor of the amendment, making it law.
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Despite these laws, few states and educational agencies complied with them for a variety of reasons, the main one being collective bargaining agreements. According to Toomey and Manchin, “three-quarters of all states have not yet enacted legislation while continuing to receive federal funding.”
In a letter to current U.S. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona, Toomey and Manchin asked the department to provide answers regarding states’ inaction to protect students (pdf).
“This violation of the law must be addressed by the Department of Education immediately,” Toomey and Manchin said in the 2022 letter. “We must follow up with concrete action that starts with shielding students from predators in the classroom. … We urge the Department of Education to take immediate steps to ensure that all policies to protect children are enforced, including the ESEA’s prohibition on Aiding and Abetting Sexual Assault.”
The DFI report also asserts that the Department of Education has neglected to hold states accountable on this issue as part of its Title IX enforcement power.
“The absence of this information is a concern; it appears that, perhaps under pressure from teacher unions, state education agencies, and school districts, the Biden administration has silently delayed or even killed [the Department of Education’s] Title IX initiative announced in 2020,” states the report.
Reforms
The DFI report suggests reforms that could stop the cycle of “passing the trash” and finally hold perpetrators accountable and help stop sexual abuse in public schools. The reforms outlined would have to be carried out at the state and federal level.
Beginning with state legislatures, these state bodies need to create laws prohibiting secret agreements between school districts and public employees that prevent future supervisors from getting full records of the employee’s sexual misconduct. The prohibition would apply to provisions in collective bargaining agreements.
In addition, legislatures must create provisions that penalize school districts that knowingly assist perpetrators to find new jobs and also penalize those district employees that fail to report sexual misconduct by any other employee.
Beyond the state bodies, the Department of Education can reinstate the Trump administration’s Title IX policy, require that states comply with ESEA’s requirements, and withhold federal funding from states that do not follow the laws, the DFI suggests.
Congress can also do more to stop abusers moving from school to school.
The federal government should begin by passing a law that requires school districts to compile a report and inform teachers, parents, and students about sexual assaults each year, DFI says.
Congress should also “amend the ESEA to clarify penalties to be imposed upon states that fail to prohibit school personnel from aiding and abetting sex abusers in obtaining new employment, specifying a certain percentage of K–12 funding to be withheld for noncompliance.”
Five Things New “Preppers” Forget When Getting Ready for Bad Times Ahead
The preparedness community is growing faster than it has in decades. Even during peak times such as Y2K, the economic downturn of 2008, and Covid, the vast majority of Americans made sure they had plenty of toilet paper but didn’t really stockpile anything else.
Things have changed. There’s a growing anxiety in this presidential election year that has prompted more Americans to get prepared for crazy events in the future. Some of it is being driven by fearmongers, but there are valid concerns with the economy, food supply, pharmaceuticals, the energy grid, and mass rioting that have pushed average Americans into “prepper” mode.
There are degrees of preparedness. One does not have to be a full-blown “doomsday prepper” living off-grid in a secure Montana bunker in order to be ahead of the curve. In many ways, preparedness isn’t about being able to perfectly handle every conceivable situation. It’s about being less dependent on government for as long as possible. Those who have proper “preps” will not be waiting for FEMA to distribute emergency supplies to the desperate masses.
Below are five things people new to preparedness (and sometimes even those with experience) often forget as they get ready. All five are common sense notions that do not rely on doomsday in order to be useful. It may be nice to own a tank during the apocalypse but there’s not much you can do with it until things get really crazy. The recommendations below can have places in the lives of average Americans whether doomsday comes or not.
Note: The information provided by this publication or any related communications is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as financial advice. We do not provide personalized investment, financial, or legal advice.
Secured Wealth
Whether in the bank or held in a retirement account, most Americans feel that their life’s savings is relatively secure. At least they did until the last couple of years when de-banking, geopolitical turmoil, and the threat of Central Bank Digital Currencies reared their ugly heads.
It behooves Americans to diversify their holdings. If there’s a triggering event or series of events that cripple the financial systems or devalue the U.S. Dollar, wealth can evaporate quickly. To hedge against potential turmoil, many Americans are looking in two directions: Crypto and physical precious metals.
There are huge advantages to cryptocurrencies, but there are also inherent risks because “virtual” money can become challenging to spend. Add in the push by central banks and governments to regulate or even replace cryptocurrencies with their own versions they control and the risks amplify. There’s nothing wrong with cryptocurrencies today but things can change rapidly.
As for physical precious metals, many Americans pay cash to keep plenty on hand in their safe. Rolling over or transferring retirement accounts into self-directed IRAs is also a popular option, but there are caveats. It can often take weeks or even months to get the gold and silver shipped if the owner chooses to close their account. This is why Genesis Gold Group stands out. Their relationship with the depositories allows for rapid closure and shipping, often in less than 10 days from the time the account holder makes their move. This can come in handy if things appear to be heading south.
Lots of Potable Water
One of the biggest shocks that hit new preppers is understanding how much potable water they need in order to survive. Experts claim one gallon of water per person per day is necessary. Even the most conservative estimates put it at over half-a-gallon. That means that for a family of four, they’ll need around 120 gallons of water to survive for a month if the taps turn off and the stores empty out.
Being near a fresh water source, whether it’s a river, lake, or well, is a best practice among experienced preppers. It’s necessary to have a water filter as well, even if the taps are still working. Many refuse to drink tap water even when there is no emergency. Berkey was our previous favorite but they’re under attack from regulators so the Alexapure systems are solid replacements.
For those in the city or away from fresh water sources, storage is the best option. This can be challenging because proper water storage containers take up a lot of room and are difficult to move if the need arises. For “bug in” situations, having a larger container that stores hundreds or even thousands of gallons is better than stacking 1-5 gallon containers. Unfortunately, they won’t be easily transportable and they can cost a lot to install.
Water is critical. If chaos erupts and water infrastructure is compromised, having a large backup supply can be lifesaving.
Pharmaceuticals and Medical Supplies
There are multiple threats specific to the medical supply chain. With Chinese and Indian imports accounting for over 90% of pharmaceutical ingredients in the United States, deteriorating relations could make it impossible to get the medicines and antibiotics many of us need.
Stocking up many prescription medications can be hard. Doctors generally do not like to prescribe large batches of drugs even if they are shelf-stable for extended periods of time. It is a best practice to ask your doctor if they can prescribe a larger amount. Today, some are sympathetic to concerns about pharmacies running out or becoming inaccessible. Tell them your concerns. It’s worth a shot. The worst they can do is say no.
If your doctor is unwilling to help you stock up on medicines, then Jase Medical is a good alternative. Through telehealth, they can prescribe daily meds or antibiotics that are shipped to your door. As proponents of medical freedom, they empathize with those who want to have enough medical supplies on hand in case things go wrong.
Energy Sources
The vast majority of Americans are locked into the grid. This has proven to be a massive liability when the grid goes down. Unfortunately, there are no inexpensive remedies.
Those living off-grid had to either spend a lot of money or effort (or both) to get their alternative energy sources like solar set up. For those who do not want to go so far, it’s still a best practice to have backup power sources. Diesel generators and portable solar panels are the two most popular, and while they’re not inexpensive they are not out of reach of most Americans who are concerned about being without power for extended periods of time.
Natural gas is another necessity for many, but that’s far more challenging to replace. Having alternatives for heating and cooking that can be powered if gas and electric grids go down is important. Have a backup for items that require power such as manual can openers. If you’re stuck eating canned foods for a while and all you have is an electric opener, you’ll have problems.
Don’t Forget the Protein
When most think about “prepping,” they think about their food supply. More Americans are turning to gardening and homesteading as ways to produce their own food. Others are working with local farmers and ranchers to purchase directly from the sources. This is a good idea whether doomsday comes or not, but it’s particularly important if the food supply chain is broken.
Most grocery stores have about one to two weeks worth of food, as do most American households. Grocers rely heavily on truckers to receive their ongoing shipments. In a crisis, the current process can fail. It behooves Americans for multiple reasons to localize their food purchases as much as possible.
Long-term storage is another popular option. Canned foods, MREs, and freeze dried meals are selling out quickly even as prices rise. But one component that is conspicuously absent in shelf-stable food is high-quality protein. Most survival food companies offer low quality “protein buckets” or cans of meat, but they are often barely edible.
Prepper All-Naturals offers premium cuts of steak that have been cooked sous vide and freeze dried to give them a 25-year shelf life. They offer Ribeye, NY Strip, and Tenderloin among others.
Having buckets of beans and rice is a good start, but keeping a solid supply of high-quality protein isn’t just healthier. It can help a family maintain normalcy through crises.
Prepare Without Fear
With all the challenges we face as Americans today, it can be emotionally draining. Citizens are scared and there’s nothing irrational about their concerns. Being prepared and making lifestyle changes to secure necessities can go a long way toward overcoming the fears that plague us. We should hope and pray for the best but prepare for the worst. And if the worst does come, then knowing we did what we could to be ready for it will help us face those challenges with confidence.
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