In this country, our children have an agency dedicated to making sure they are allowed to grow up safe and free from abuse both physical and mental. When a child goes to a trusted person and confides in them the stories of abuse, that person is then given a unique opportunity to become someone's hero. By a simple phone call, if abuse is founded, that child has a better chance at a life with free of silent tears and internal struggles. We need to focus on hearing what is being told and taking it all in while the information is flowing. Then relay that information as accurately as possible to the proper authority to begin the process of getting the child the help needed. 

Federal law defines physical abuse as any nonaccidental physical injury to a child caused by a parent, caregiver, or other person responsible for a child and can include punching,  beating, kicking, biting, shaking, throwing, stabbing, choking, hitting, burning, or otherwise causing physical harm. Emotional neglect is defined as inattention to the child's emotional needs or failure to provide psychological care. Emotional abuse is defined as a pattern of behavior that impairs a child's emotional development or sense of self worth. Either of these instances would be an example of abuse.

South Carolina law requires education professionals to report cases of suspected child abuse or neglect. Any person who is required to report and fails to do so is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by fines of up to $500 and up to six months in jail or both. If the alleged perpetrator is a parent or other caregiver. The report should be made to law enforcement or the county DSS office. 

In this case in particular, a student tried to ask for help starting in December 2021 and has been failed. The student is still reporting both mental and physical abuse and the agencies listed in this petition have all failed to make them feel heard. When social workers went to the home, they were forced to answer questions within earshot of the parents making them afraid to say anything out of fear of what might come after the worker left. Amidst a pandemic where so many children are being found abused or killed at the hands of a parent, we must listen and act and check on these children. When they are left to the abuse they will likely find unhealthy ways to cope. Stand up and tell our schools, our district, and our community that this will not be tolerated. 

If you see something, say something...doesn't work so well when the people in charge are dropping the ball.