Woodland Hills Teachers Learn About Reporting Child Abuse
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen Zappala gave teachers a refresher course about what they are obliged to do to fight child abuse.
In light of the Penn State scandal and the recent beating death of an Allegheny County child, Woodland Hills School District held a two hour presentation to address and answer some of the questions that arose after these recent events.
Zappala was only one of the speakers addressing students, faculty and staff. The meeting addressed what people's responsibilities are if they work around children.
"You are not investigators, you're not police officers, we don't expect you to have all the facts," Kevin McCarthy, Allegheny County Assistant District Attorney, said. "What the law requires you to do is to, in your capacity as teachers and observers of children, report what you see."
The superintendent and school board at Woodland Hills wanted their district to be the first to hear this presentation.
"Obviously this has been well-covered and I know our teachers and I have talked to them and they have been talking about this for many years – the appropriate level of friendship or communication with our students," Tara Reis, a Woodland Hills school board member, said.
This meeting comes on the heels of an earlier talk with law enforcement officers.
"The first speaking engagement we had was with all the school police for the City of Pittsburgh," Zappala said. "That was a lot of back and forth – given these circumstances, 'What do I do?' It was good. It was a very healthy dialogue."
