S.E.S.A.M.E. - Stop Educator Sexual Abuse, Misconduct and Exploitation

SESAME believes the power imbalance between a teacher and student (of any age) creates a climate that can facilitate sexual misconduct by the teacher; behavior that is psychologically equivalent to incest.

DEFINITION

Sexual misconduct: "Behavior by an educator that is directed at a student and intended to sexually arouse or titillate the educator or the child." (Educator Sexual Misconduct: A Synthesis of Existing Literature. Prepared for the U.S. Department of Education, Office of the Under Secretary, Policy and Program Studies Service By Charol Shakeshaft, Hofstra University and Interactive, Inc., Huntington, N.Y.)

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Missouri Leads the Way in Forcing Schools To Deal With Teacher-Student Sex
Courthouse News Service

School districts that fail to do so would become legally liable for damages if the educator commits any sexual misconduct in the new school district. The law is named for a woman who said she was raped by a teacher more than 20 years ago, ... (click here for more information)

SCHOOLS, OUR RESPONSIBILITY

"...the skills necessary to become an outstanding educator are also skills that enable those who would betray their trust and harm children . . ."

". . . one must never stop trying to increase the level of safety in the schools through responsible efforts taken in conjunction with school employees parents, students, lawmakers and in short all other members of the community."
Doug Bates, Ph.D., J.D. (deceased 5/2000. Former school teacher, administrator & attorney with the Utah Dept. of Ed. & NASDTEC) - SESAME Winter/Summer 2000 newsletter, p.5

"What hurts the victim most is not the cruelty of the oppressor, but the silence of the bystander."
-- Elie Wiesel, Holocaust Survivor

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