School preps students, parents for Erin’s Law

Shelter Island secondary school students and their parents will soon be on notice the district is implementing Erin’s Law to protect children from sexual abuse. What started as a nationwide movement to protect children from sexual abuse and exploitation was mandated by the New York State Education Department in 2019. Now there is a stepped-up effort to assure the program is implemented by school districts throughout the state.

School psychologist Danielle Spears told the Board of Education Tuesday night this is not a sex education program but an effort to empower children to recognize and take action to stop inappropriate behavior that is unacceptable. One in every four girls and one in every 6 boys have been victims of sexual abuse, Ms. Spears said.

In 90% of cases, that someone is a person the child had known and trusted prior to any inappropriate behavior.

Erin’s Law was named for a survivor of abuse, Erin Merryn, in Illinois.

Students at the secondary school level will learn how to recognize abusive behavior and report it to appropriate individuals — parents, school officials, or other trusted adults. It will provide parents with the resources to take appropriate action.

School officials will be informing parents about the program.

Cardboard Campout

The annual Cardboard Campout, an annual event organized by members of the National Honor Society, is slated for Nov. 10 with students staying overnight outside the school until the following morning at 6 p.m. Each student is tasked with raising $100 with the money earmarked for Habitat for Humanity and typically, within the school year, students will go to a Habitat site and contribute their labor for a day where a house is being constructed.

In other actions, the Board approved a senior class tip to Virginia Beach March 12 through 16 that will include a visit to Colonial Williamsburg, Busch Gardens and other sites.

With $7,500 in the class account and ongoing fundraising activities, students are anticipated to not have to pay more than $300 each, their class advisor Alyssa Prior said.

The Student Liaison to the Board of Education, Lionardo Napoles, had some fun with the Board Tuesday night, starting the meeting sitting in the chair normally occupied by Superintendent Brian Doelger, Ed.D.

He went on to tell the Board that under his leadership, students are becoming more active in making sure their voices are heard on some policies with which they disagree. Among them is the school’s dress code, Mr. Napoles said.

The students have been meeting to discuss their views with involvement from teachers James “Jimbo” Theinert and Sean Brennan. But the two teachers are not leading the discussion, Mr. Napoles said. Giving students the opportunity to state their views and lobby when they disagree with a policy is proving to be effective, he said.

In 90% of the cases, that someone is a person the child had known and trusted.