Cross posted at
ePluribus Media
They knew of a child predator in their midst. They had the legal responsibility of in loco parentis as the page program functioned as a school. Therefore, they were required by law to report child abuse and the name of the predator to law enforcement and Child Protective Services.
They did not. Find out why this makes them unfit to serve on the flip:
Legal Concerns
This quote is from the Department of Health and Human Services Administration For Children and Families:
Every State legally mandates that educators report suspected child abuse and
neglect. A mandated reporter is anyone required by State law to report
maltreatment to the designated State agency. However, some States clearly
define that teachers, principals, nurses, and counselors are included in
this mandate, while other States designate all school personnel. In
addition, almost every State levies a penalty against mandated reporters who
choose not to report. This penalty ranges from a fine, a misdemeanor charge,
or time spent in jail. Until recently, most States did not strictly enforce
these penalties, but this has changed within the last few years. A number of
States have sanctioned nonreporters for failing to obey reporting laws, so
it is important that educators know the reporting laws for their State.
In addition to penalties for not reporting abuse and neglect, all States
provide immunity from civil liability and criminal penalty for mandated
reporters who report in good faith. In other words, the law requires
educators to report child abuse and neglect, provides protection for those
educators who become involved, and penalizes those who fail to meet their
obligations."
The editor of the
Washington Times said on NPR this a.m. that he called for Hastert's resignation because of the
in loco parentis application to the page program. The Republican leadership is pulling out all the stops to shift attention and blame onto the Democrats before the public gets a whiff of how much this episode really stinks. BBC reported that the Dems are responsible for dirty tricks. NPR reported the same this morning. Gingrich is getting lots of airplay.
The story is the very possible criminal conspiracy to cover up this ongoing violation, the continuing failure to report it to law enforcement. It is not sufficient that Foley quit. Irrelevant. That the Republican leadership failed to report is the Conspiracy of Silence, well known in child welfare circles, that causes such lasting damage to children. We must not allow this conspiracy to continue. Every member, of any party, that covered this up must resign and face investigation and prosecution. If they fail to protect even the least among us, our children, they are unable to protect this country from danger from those who wish to do damage to the United States. They are unfit for duty and must resign immediately.
We have rolled over, as a nation, for countless indignities to our rights, our heritage and our Constitution. We cannot,shall not, must never fail to protect our children. This transcends party, politics, and spin. Call the police.
Over at ePluribus Media Wanderindiana adds
... a citation that places the responsibility on the House; in particular, the Office of the Clerk of the House:
A 1998 House document that points to the Office of the Clerk of the House as being the individual responsible for pages, in loco parentis:
The Office of the Clerk has administrative responsibility for the Page Program and works with the Page Board and CHO to design, implement, and manage a safe, educational, and valuable program which benefits both the Pages and the House. The Clerk, on behalf of the House, also acts in loco parentis to ensure the health, safety, and welfare of program participants, who are all minors, during their stay in Washington, DC. [emphasis added]
You can find a historical listing of Clerks of the House of Representatives here. Jeff Trandahl, a South Dakota native, was the Clerk of the House from the late 90s until he resigned late last year to accept an executive position with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. He was replaced by Karen Haas. Both Trandahl and Haas were appointed by Speaker of the House Denny Hastert.
Now, oversight of the page program is one of many responsibilities of the Clerk of the House, and there are definitely unnamed subordinates who are likely responsible for its day-to-day management; however, the chain of responsibility, and the accompanying failure to act in loco parentis, points straight back to Hastert and the GOP leadership.
And their Conspiracy of Silence.