Every child suspected of being a victim of sexual abuse decorates a butterfly when they visit the Baltimore Child Abuse Center (BCAC). This year over 850 butterflies were decorated and that is just too many.
Through programs like The Safe Kid Club, the BCAC is encouraging strong personal safety habits and educating students on what to do in dangerous situations. Recently, BCAC entered in Chase’s Community Giving Program and was award a total of $68,000 as one of only five non-profits picked to be a finalist. BCAC’s big idea of providing training to ALL kindergarten children, parents and teachers in Baltimore, in addition to support for survivors through a creative arts program, truly got the judge’s attention.
The panel asked a series of bold questions that need to be answered in the coming months. David Robinson asked "why didn't Baltimore schools have programs targeting prevention of sexual abuse already." While Matthew McConaughey wanted to know "why doesn't the federal government just mandate sexual child abuse prevention education in schools?"
This is not a subject to be taken lightly, it’s affecting our students everyday and there needs to be an end to sexual abuse in our city. This past year I’ve been able to see first hand what a positive impact The Safe Kid Club had on my young students. They were much more aware of themselves and each other. Baltimore City students deserve to be educated on safety and with a curriculum lacking this component, BCAC is crucial in stopping sexual abuse.
2 comments:
Elyss-
Reading your blog really saddens my heart. Unfortunately, many cases of child abuse remain unreported, so the staggering number you provided would only increase. Individuals who commit such cruel acts often believe that children do not have a voice to stand up for themselves. Therefore, programs like the Safe Kid Club are important in every community because they not only educate and support children, but also draw awareness and answer questions for parents and guardians. Child abuse affects a child in every aspect of his/her life: psychologically, emotionally, and physically.
As a psychology major I believe it is important to discuss Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs in order to address the impact one’s overall wellbeing has on his/her educational trajectory. Maslow indicates that the most basic and important human needs include: clothing, food, water, and shelter. If any of these requirements are not met, a human cannot continue to function. Child abuse effects the next hierarchal section of Maslow’s pyramid- Safety. The absence of safety, in instances like child abuse, hinders a child. Therefore, as educators, it is important to understand and meet the needs of every child.
Fortunately, I have never dealt with an issue of child abuse, but throughout the school year, many of my students entered my classroom without having eaten breakfast. How can a child begin to concentrate on my lesson when their primary focus is on food? Your blog reminded me of the important role teachers have outside our classroom walls.
I, unfortunately, was exposed to instances of child abuse during my first year of teaching. It's shocking how prevalent, and yet often overlooked, the issue of child abuse is. Although I wouldn't exactly consider Matthew McConaughey to be an expert on education and child abuse, I think he makes an extremely valid point: Students need more than just an exposure to academics - they need to be aware of social issues such as abuse and development.
I watched this year as many of my students physically developed and matured, often making them feel, and act, much older than their age. I was honestly scared for the potential effects this may have on their personal well-being as it made them vulnerable to sexual attention they may not be prepared to prevent.
As Mona mentioned, there are so many foundational needs that are critical to our students' personal development and, ultimately, their academic growth. Our urban schools need to do a better job of addressing those issues through social education before we can expect to see meaningful academic gains.
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