SECRET SHAME OF OUR SCHOOLS – SEXUAL ABUSE OF STUDENTS RUNS RAMPANT

At least one child is sexually abused by a school employee every day in New York City schools and one-third of the employees accused of sexual abuse are repeat offenders who have already been cited for inappropriate behavior by school officials.  A Post investigation found that more than 60 percent of employees accused of sexual abuse, mostly tenured teachers, were transferred to desk jobs at district offices located inside schools.  Forty percent of those transferred suspects were repeat offenders.  A board source said it takes an average of 20 months and numerous state-arbitrator hearing just to get rid of a suspected abuser.  Other Post findings include:

- Some 212 children were victims in the 117 cases, in 45 percent of the cases, an offender attacked more than on student.  Repeat offenders made up nearly half of the suspects who attacked more than one kid.

- In nearly 16 percent of the cases, school officials delayed reporting the offense or tried to cover it up.

- Paraprofessionals and school aides were involved in 20 percent of the cases.  Math teachers, some of whom tutored and later tried to seduce students through the Internet, made up nearly 10 percent of the offenders.  Special-ed teachers also account for 10 percent.

- The average victim is a 15 year old female high school student in Brooklyn, where 36 percent of the abuse cases occurred.  The average age of an offender is 39.

- Seventy-five percent of the victims are girls.

- Nearly 20 percent of the offenders are homosexuals, and in most of these cases, the attack led to a sexual relationship with the student.

When the Post added the Office of Special Investigation's 327 cases to School Special Investigator Ed Stancik's 117 substantiated cases of sexual abuse of 2 1/2 years, it was discovered that at least one child is sexually abused by a school employee every day.

(New York)