Training methods for school employees on reporting suspicions of child abuse and neglect
New details have emerged regarding the training that Palm Beach County school employees are required to undergo in order to identify and report cases of suspected child abuse and neglect. This information comes in the wake of the arrest of five employees from Palm Beach Central High School, including the principal, for their failure to report the suspected sexual assault of a 15-year-old girl. WPTV, a local news station, obtained this information through a public records request made to the School District of Palm Beach County. The training, which is mandatory for all employees, was provided online by the Florida Department of Children and Families.
WPTV’s education reporter, Stephanie Susskind, went through the hour-long training course and shared her findings. The course consists of several slides that contain both text and pictures. Participants are also given the option to listen to the content. The training is divided into two sections: “Identifying Child Abuse and Neglect” and “Reporting Child Abuse and Neglect.” It stresses the importance of reporting any suspected cases to the Florida Abuse Hotline, even if the reporter is unsure whether there is enough information to warrant a report.
According to the training course, a report to the Florida Abuse Hotline must be made if someone knows or has reasonable cause to suspect that a child is being abused, abandoned, or neglected. The course defines abuse as any form of physical, emotional, or sexual abuse. However, the course does not provide specific guidance on how to handle allegations involving two minors, which was the case at Palm Beach Central High School.
The training emphasizes that it is the responsibility of the employee to make a report if they have reasonable cause to suspect abuse or neglect, even if they are not required to investigate or prove the case. Despite this, the principal of Palm Beach Central High School, Darren Edgecomb, allegedly failed to report the allegations of sexual assault because he believed, based on his own investigation, that no assault had occurred.
The incident dates back to 2021 when a student wrote a letter to Scott Houchins, a teacher at Palm Beach Central High School, outlining the sexual assault of her 15-year-old friend by another student off-campus. This information was then shared among five school employees, including two assistant principals, Houchins himself, and a school counselor. However, none of them reported the allegations to the Florida Abuse Hotline. As a result, all five employees now face felony charges.
The case against the suspects is ongoing, with a court hearing scheduled for Thursday. One of the assistant principals, Daniel Snider, has filed a motion to dismiss the criminal charge against him. In the meantime, all five employees have been reassigned to different positions within the school district, away from students.
In response to inquiries about the mandatory training for reporting suspected cases of child abuse and neglect, the School District of Palm Beach County issued a statement. They confirmed that all employees are required to complete the training course offered online by the Department of Children and Families. The statement also clarified that while there is no requirement for repeated or ongoing training on this subject, the district implemented a policy in 2020 that required all school-based employees to re-submit a certificate of completion every two years. New hires must also provide a certificate of completion, and all district-based employees were included in this requirement in 2021.
As investigations continue, the case of the arrested Palm Beach Central High School employees serves as a reminder of the critical role that school staff play in protecting students from abuse and neglect. It highlights the importance of comprehensive and effective training programs to ensure that all employees are equipped to identify and report any suspected cases in a timely and appropriate manner.
