deborah_r
05-10-2014, 05:01 PM
Haven't been around in a while. This place was always great for getting different perspectives, so here I am.
Found out yesterday, via mass email and phone message, that an after-school teacher in the program my children attend every day after school had been arrested, for allegedly attempting to solicit a minor online. Through talking to a few people, we quickly found out which teacher, and he was my older son's after-school teacher. My son and his friend (5th graders) really liked this teacher. Some days, after a full school day and almost 3 hours in after-care, my son would still want to stay and finish a game they were playing. He seemed like a good young man and I was happy that he was kind of a role model for the boys, and he was interested in things they liked, like chess and computers. He was helping them design their own video game.
We know none of the specifics of the charges. I would like to know what age group and gender of minor he was targeting, because I'd like to believe that while he may have done something inappropriate, he was not interested in these young kids he was trusted to teach and supervise. I feel fairly confident that there just was not significant opportunity for him to do anything inappropriate with any of the kids, as his classroom was directly across from the director's office, and parents can, and do, pick up at anytime between 3pm and 6pm. I asked DS a series of questions, including had he ever seen any of the teachers in the restroom (I believe the teachers are all supposed to use different restrooms from the kids), as I was thinking that might be one of the few places where something inappropriate could happen. I asked him everything I could think of as far as had he ever felt uncomfortable, anything inappropriate, etc. Unfortunately the rumor mill at school had already gotten the word around that his teacher had been arrested - I would have liked to ask him the questions before he heard that.
We met with the principal and the after school program director within hours of receiving the news. I expected to see a line of anxious worried parents there, yet we were the only ones. The message came about noon, maybe some people didn't get the message until later. Overall, my gut tells me nothing happened to my son. However I feel like a zombie. After I talked to the school, asked my son all the questions, I just felt exhausted. I still do. I just feel generally upset but not sure specifically what I am upset about. Part of it is I hate that I had to ask my son those questions and that he knows now his teacher wasn't someone he could trust. He seems fine, both last night and today, but I don't know if he is upset and just not showing it.
So just wondering how other people think they might feel in this situation, am I overreacting, have I done and asked everything I should? Thanks for any input you can offer, and for reading this.
Found out yesterday, via mass email and phone message, that an after-school teacher in the program my children attend every day after school had been arrested, for allegedly attempting to solicit a minor online. Through talking to a few people, we quickly found out which teacher, and he was my older son's after-school teacher. My son and his friend (5th graders) really liked this teacher. Some days, after a full school day and almost 3 hours in after-care, my son would still want to stay and finish a game they were playing. He seemed like a good young man and I was happy that he was kind of a role model for the boys, and he was interested in things they liked, like chess and computers. He was helping them design their own video game.
We know none of the specifics of the charges. I would like to know what age group and gender of minor he was targeting, because I'd like to believe that while he may have done something inappropriate, he was not interested in these young kids he was trusted to teach and supervise. I feel fairly confident that there just was not significant opportunity for him to do anything inappropriate with any of the kids, as his classroom was directly across from the director's office, and parents can, and do, pick up at anytime between 3pm and 6pm. I asked DS a series of questions, including had he ever seen any of the teachers in the restroom (I believe the teachers are all supposed to use different restrooms from the kids), as I was thinking that might be one of the few places where something inappropriate could happen. I asked him everything I could think of as far as had he ever felt uncomfortable, anything inappropriate, etc. Unfortunately the rumor mill at school had already gotten the word around that his teacher had been arrested - I would have liked to ask him the questions before he heard that.
We met with the principal and the after school program director within hours of receiving the news. I expected to see a line of anxious worried parents there, yet we were the only ones. The message came about noon, maybe some people didn't get the message until later. Overall, my gut tells me nothing happened to my son. However I feel like a zombie. After I talked to the school, asked my son all the questions, I just felt exhausted. I still do. I just feel generally upset but not sure specifically what I am upset about. Part of it is I hate that I had to ask my son those questions and that he knows now his teacher wasn't someone he could trust. He seems fine, both last night and today, but I don't know if he is upset and just not showing it.
So just wondering how other people think they might feel in this situation, am I overreacting, have I done and asked everything I should? Thanks for any input you can offer, and for reading this.