Sunday, July 12, 2015

How do we protect ourselves from ourselves?

Recently, someone who I've known professionally has been accused of having an inappropriate relationship with a minor.  I can't and won't speak of the specifics of this exact case other than to say that I never would have suspected this person of being in this situation.

Whenever I've heard reports of some adult being accused, it is always an adult I've never met and probably never will meet.  This changed when the person I know was accused.  I was left asking myself this question:

How do we protect ourselves from ourselves?

Recent laws calling on everyone to be a mandatory reporter...

Three different background checks...

No less than two unrelated adults in a room at a time with young people...

Installing windows in solid doors...

Wherever possible, providing separate bathrooms for adults and young people and separate sleeping and shower facilities for overnight settings...

These are all good ways to reduce the chance that something inappropriate will happen but...

It's not THE answer.

These "answers" are almost the equivalent of putting skin cream on a rash when the source of the illness is in the heart.

When our society decides to get back to teaching and modeling moral behavior, we'll see a reversal in these inappropriate relationships.


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