Forum 2

Respond to 2 discussions that I have written. They should be 200 words in length each. Label them 1 and 2. I will provide an example of what they should sort of look like.

1. it is mandatory to report any suspected child abuse, abandonment or neglect to the Department of Central Abuse hotline immediately. According to the Florida Statutes 39.202 (b) Each report of known or suspected child abuse by an adult other than a parent, legal custodian, caregiver, or other person responsible for the childs welfare, as defined in this chapter, shall be made immediately to the Departments Central Abuse hotline. Such reports may be made on the single statewide toll-free telephone number or via fax, web-based chat, or web-based report. Such reports or calls shall be immediately electronically transferred to the appropriate county sheriffs office by the central abuse hotline (The Florida Legislature,2020).
I believe that the teacher is required by law to report the abuse as soon as possible. I think that it is vital for the teacher to report the concerns of what is occurring in the childs life to principal, guidance counselor and the behavior specialist immediately. Then the principal, guidance counselor and teacher should question the child about what is going on in his or her household. Afterwards they should make an assessment to call DCF for further proceedings. If the teacher choses not to file a report, there will be major consequences that the teacher will have to face in life. For instance, the child can either start hitting, fighting, pushing, or yelling at the other students in classroom. Then the child can start a lot of problems in school that will cause speculation for Department Children of Families to come to the school.  The child can die in the care of the parents or when the parents are not at home. The child can be admitted to the hospital for the abuse or become paralyzed or legally blind due to substantial injuries.  Eventually the teacher can be charge or arrested for not reporting the suspected abuse. Sadly, the teacher will not be permitted to teach again. Also in Florida, the crime of failure to report child abuse or neglect is a Third Degree Felony and punishable by up to five (5) years in prison, five (5) years of probation, and a $5,000 fine (Hornsby,2020).

References

Hornsby, R.(2020). Failure to Report Child Abuse or Neglect in Florida. Retrieved from https://www.richardhornsby.com/crimes/children/failure-to-report-child-abuse.html

The Florida Legislature. (2020). Retrieved from http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_

String=&URL=0000-0099/0039/Sections/0039.201.htm

2. If this situation were to be happening within the state of Utah, the teacher would need to report the suspected abuse to an authority immediately, according to state law. These authorities could be Child and Family Services, a law enforcement agency or a peace officer. Whether the abuse is confirmed or not, if even suspected, the teacher is obligated to report the suspicion. If the teacher does not choose to file a report of the suspected abuse the child could potentially face immediate physical abuse and neglect. Long term emotional trauma, physical damage, and even loss of life could occur in extreme violent cases. The emotional effect upon a person who has been abused can affect every aspect of a person. Spiritual, emotional and relational damage can last a lifetime causing issues in every avenue of the victims life. These damages can not only have effects on daily living and relationships with people but also relationships with God. Diane Langberg referenced these specific issues in the presentation, from week four, Surviving Sexual Abuse-On the Threshold of Hope. The bible also references times of sexual and physical abuse. Although it says to discipline our children and for a wife to honor her husband, he does not say to harm them. These are meant to be loving relationships with loving guidance, just as He is with us. The Lord tests the righteous, but his soul hates the wicked and the one who loves violence. (Psalm 11:5, ESV) I do not think that it matters where you are within the United States, report abuse if it is suspected for the chance that you may be that child or persons only advocate. I believe abuse should be banned worldwide but unfortunately cultural differences prohibit that, therefore, we as Americans should be grateful for the laws in place to protect us and those around us.

EXAMPLE:
What an awesome post! The state of North Carolina has the same laws as Virginia related to child abuse and neglect. Teachers are considered mandatory reports, in that they are required by law to report any suspected abuse or neglect (Cole, 2015). It makes absolute sense why a teacher would be scared to report issues, as they fear to be wrong or causing additional damage to the child.
If a teacher fails to report an incident, short-term and long-term consequences are at risk. Younger children may begin to lose acquired skills and have difficulty explaining feelings. Older children act out in anger and have increased shame or guilt. Adolescents may experience depression or anxiousness (Scalise, n.d.). Keep your heart will all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life (Proverbs 4:23, New King James Version). A child is not able to guard their heart, whereas a teacher can do that for them by doing their best with protection and being the voice for the victims.