Protecting Your Child At a Distance

At a very early age, our children begin spending 7 hours a day at school. And during this time they are surrounded by stress, peer pressure, and responsibility. But what about the faculty that are there to protect and instruct your children while they are attending class? All too often you see stories of teachers interacting with students in ways that are inappropriate. But what can you do to protect your child from this ever-growing epidemic of unethical conduct?

Teachers are really just "stand-Ins" for the parents while the children are in school. They play a large role in the children's lives. Although teachers do not have the same rights as parents do when interacting with the kids, they do have the responsibility o act with parental boundaries towards the children. A teachers first priority is the total health and safety of the kids. And this is not limited to their physical health, but also their social, emotional, and spiritual health as well.

That is a big responsibility on behalf of the teachers, but they understood this role when they applied for, and took, they position. They are not there to be the children's friends, they are there to be role models for there future life experiences. They are there to be instructor's but to also instill values, and a higher underlying lesson of right from wrong.

There are indeed warning signs of misconduct and inappropriate behaviors that can stem from a potentially troubling situation. If a teacher is spending time alone with a child, or a group of children, without the presence of other adults; If a teacher buys gifts for the child or pays exclusive attention to the child or a group of children; If a teacher begins talking, dressing, and acting like the students; If a teacher is discussing their personal life with a child or in front of students; if a teacher is asking inappropriate personal or sexual questions of students; if a teacher is contacting, instant messaging, texting, or calling students without parental permission; or if a teacher has no friends among his or her peers.

None of these inclinations are a sure-fire sign of a predator, but if some signs are persistent, or sexual inclinations become obvious, then it is time to speak up. If you feel like a teacher of your child is a concern here are a few things to consider. Write out your concerns, as well as specific descriptions and incidents of what you have seen and heard. Try to include dates and times of any inappropriate activity. Ask to speak with an administrator. Always remain calm while describing your concerns, and ask the administrator to keep you fully informed. You may want to confront and talk to your child about what is happening and how they feel about it. Find out if they were scared, concerned, worried, or confused about any activity that may being happening. Always remember to share this information with the administrator of the school, so that they have full understanding of the child's perspective. It doesn't always have to be an obvious clue or sign, you may just sense something is wrong. But never turn your back on a bad feeling when it involves your child. We want our children to always remain safe, especially when they are in the care of others. So react when it is needed, and be aware of you child's environment. You have a large role in keeping your children out of harm's way in and out of school, so always follow you instincts, and know your options.

For more parenting help, check out Family and Parenting, which has an entire section devoted to education tips.