Senator Gallivan Introduces Legislation to Close Loophole in Child Abuse Reporting Law

Senator Patrick M. Gallivan, (R-C-I, Elma) has introduced legislation (S-7372) which would close a loophole in education law governing the reporting of child abuse in an educational setting and expand the professions within a school required to report abuse.  The bill is in response to a recent report of sexual abuse revelations at the Nichols School in Buffalo.  

“All children must be protected from abuse at the hands of teachers, school employees and others in positions of power,” Gallivan said.  “Acts of child abuse, in any form, must be reported to the proper authorities regardless of the educational setting.  No schools should be exempt from that requirement.”

Under current law, private school teachers and administrators are not obligated to report allegations of abuse.  The proposed legislation would amend the law to include public schools, charter schools, private schools, state supported and state operated schools, Special Act School Districts, and boards of cooperative educational services (BOCES).  The bill also expands the responsibility for reporting abuse allegations to include therapists, speech-language pathologists, teacher aides, school resource officers and any employee who contracts with a school to provide transportation to children. 

The legislation further amends education law to require that all teachers and administrators employed by a private or charter school to complete two hours of training regarding the identification and reporting of child abuse.

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