School Social Workers’ Roles Involving Teacher-StudentSexual Misconduct and Exploitation
Downloads
Incidents of sexual misconduct by educators continue to become more prevalent in the United States, resulting in negative social, emotional, and psychological effects on many students. School social workers are professionals with backgrounds in prevention, intervention, and advocacy; however, very little literature has examined the roles of school social workers in preventing and addressing teacher-student sexual misconduct. This case study explored school social workers’ roles and their perceptions thereof in relation to incidents that involved teacher-student sexual misconduct and exploitation. General systems theory provided the framework for understanding the roles of social workers and their approaches to working with the different systems associated and connected with the entire education system, including teachers and students. Nine school social workers participated in 30-45 minute audiotaped, in-depth, face-to-face interviews and provided data for this study related to their roles and responsibilities in addressing sexual misconduct in schools. Transcribed interviews were coded, first using emergent open coding and then using focused/axial coding, to form 2 main themes. School social workers in this district were identified as having no well-defined primary or secondary roles related to prevention of and response to teacher-student sexual misconduct, which was reported to result from a number of barriers to school social workers’ ability to deliver effective services. A reevaluation of school social workers’ roles to include addressing crises such as sexual misconduct has the potential to promote positive social change by improving the educational system and the school’s ability to provide a healthier educational environment for students.
Downloads
1. Allen-Meares, P., & Montgomery, K. L. (2014). Global trends and school-based social work. Children & Schools, 36(2), 105-112.
2. Allen-Meares, P., Montgomery, K. L., & Kim, J. S. (2013). School-based social work interventions: A cross-national systematic review. Social Work, 58(3), 253-262.
3. American School Counselor Association. (2015). Position statement: The school counselor and child abuse and neglect prevention. Alexandria, VA: Author.
4. Anaf, S., Drummond, C., & Sheppard, L. A. (2007). Combining case study research and systems theory as a heuristic model. Qualitative Health Research, 17(10), 1309-1315.
5. Anthony, B. (2017). Social workers and agencies: How to avoid sexual misconduct issues on social media. In C. Schwilk, R. Stevenson, & D. Bateman, (Eds.), Sexual misconduct in the education and human services sector (pp. 140-155). Hershey, PA: IGI Global.
6. Atkinson, R., & Flint, J. (2001). Accessing hidden and hard-to-reach populations: Snowball research strategies. Social Research Update, 33, 1-4.
7. Barrett, K. M., Lester, S. V., & Durham, J. S. (2011). Child maltreatment and the advocacy role of professional school counselors. Journal for School Action in Counseling & Psychology, 3(2), 85-102.
8. Baskarad, S. (2014). Qualitative case study guidelines. Qualitative Report, 19(24), 1-18.
9. Baxter, P., & Jack, S. (2008). Qualitative case study methodology: Study design and implementation for novice researchers. Qualitative Report, 13(4), 544-559.
10. Bowen, G. L. (2004). Social organizations and schools: A general systems theory perspective. In P. Allen-Meares (Ed.), Social work services in schools (4th ed., pp 48-64). Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon.
11. Burgess, A. W., Welner, M., & Willis, D. G. (2010). Educator sexual abuse: The case reports. Journal of Child Sexual Abuse, 19, 387-402.
12. Celik, G. G., Tahiroglu, A. Y., Avci, A., Cekin, N., Evliyaoglu, A. Y., & Yoruldu, B. (2012). Sexual abuse in a classroom of ten male students: A group victimization. Journal of Child Sexual Abuse, 21, 543-552.
13. Chanmugam, A. (2009). A qualitative study of school social workers’ clinical and professional relationships when reporting child maltreatment. Children & Schools, 31(3), 145-161.
14. Collin-Vezina, D., Daigneault, I., & Hebert, M. (2013). Lessons learned from child sexual abuse research: Prevalence, outcomes, and preventive strategies. Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health, 7(22), 1-9.
15. Colson, M. H., Boyer, L., Baumstarck, K., & Loundou, A. D. (2013). Female sex offenders: A challenge to certain paradigms. Meta-analysis. Sexologies, 22(1), 109-117.
16. Cook, B. G., Tankersley, M., Cook, L., & Landrum, T. J. (2015). Republication of “Evidence-Based Practices in Special Education: Some Practical Considerations.” Interventions in School and Clinic, 50(5), 310-315.
17. Cope, D. G. (2014). Methods and meanings: Credibility and trustworthiness of qualitative research. Oncology Nursing Forum, 41(1).
18. Costin, L. F. (1975). School social work practice: A new model. Social Work, 20(2), 135-139.
19. Dean, C., & Rowan, D. (2014). The social worker’s role in serving vulnerable athletes. Journal of Social Work Practice, 28(2), 219-227.
20. Dworkin, S. L. (2012). Sample size policy for qualitative studies using in-depth interviews. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 41(6), 1319-1320.
21. Edwards, C. C. (2017). Exploring the role of school counselors in preventing and addressing educator sexual misconduct in K-12 school systems. In C. Schwilk, R. Stevenson, & D. Bateman. (Eds.), Sexual misconduct in the education and human services sector (pp. 203-220). Hershey, PA: IGI Global.
22. Fisher, R. A. (2010). Supply and demand in school social work. Children & Schools, 32(3), 131-133.
23. Fitch, D. (2004). Client-controlled case information. A general systems theory perspective. Social Work, 49(3), 497-505.
24. Fossey, E., Harvey, C., McDermott, F., & Davidson, L. (2002). Understanding and evaluating qualitative research. Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 36(6), 717-732.
25. Friedman, B. D., & Allen, K. N. (2011). Systems theory. In J. R. Brandell (Ed.), Theory & practice in clinical social work (2nd ed., pp. 3-20). London, England: Sage. Retrieved from http://www.sagepub.com/sites/default/files/upm-binaries/32947 _Chapter1.pdf
26. Grand Prairie Independent School District (2016). Student Support 1: School Social Workers. Retrieved from http://www.gpisd.org/Page/34223
27. Hare, I. (2004). Defining social work for the 21st century the international federation of social workers’ revised definition of social work. International Social Work, 47(3), 407-424.
28. Hayden, K. (2015). Sexual misconduct in the schools. Sexual Misconduct In The Schools—Research Starters Education, 1-7.
29. Hseih, H. & Shannon, S. E. (2005). Three approaches to qualitative content analysis. Qualitative Health Research, 15(9), 1277-1288
30. Jaffe, P., Straatman, A., Harris, B., Georges, A., Vink, K, & Reif, K. (2013). Emerging trends in teacher sexual misconduct in Ontario 2007-2012. Education Law Journal, 23(1), 19-39.
31. Joseph, A. L., Slovak, K., Broussard, C. A., & Webster, P. S. (2012). School social workers and multiculturalism: Changing the environment for success. Journal of Ethnic & Cultural Diversity in Social Work, 21(2), 129-143.
32. Kelly, M. S., Berzin, S. C., Frey, A., Alvarez, M., Shaffer, G., & O’Brien, K. (2010). The state of school social work: Findings from the national school social work survey. School Mental Health, 2, 132-141.
33. Knoll, J. (2010). Teacher sexual misconduct: Grooming patterns and female offenders. Journal of Child Sexual Abuse, 19, 371-386.
34. Mapp, S. C. (2006). The effects of sexual abuse as a child on the risk of mothers physically abusing their children: A path analysis using systems theory. Child Abuse & Neglect, 30, 1293-1310.
35. Michailakis, D., & Schirmer, W. (2014). Social work and social problems: A contribution from systems theory and constructionism. International Journal of Social Welfare, 23, 431-442.
36. Mitchell, M. W. (2010). Child sexual abuse: A school leadership issue. The Clearing House, 83, 101-104.
37. National Association of Social Workers. (2012). NASW standards for school social work services. Washington, DC: Author.
38. National Association of Social Workers (2015). Practice: School social work. Retrieved from https://www.socialworkers.org/Practice/School-Social-Work
39. Patton, M. Q. (2002). Qualitative research and evaluation methods (3rd ed.) Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc.
40. Peckover, C, Vasquez, M., Van Housen, S., Saunders, J. A., & Allen, L. (2013). Preparing school social work for the future: An update on school social workers’ task in Iowa. Children and Schools, 35(1), 9-17.
41. Ratliff, L & Watson, J. (2014). A description of analysis of public school educators arrested for sex offenses. Journal of Child Sexual Abuse, 23, 217-228.
42. Rayburn, A. D., Winek, J. L., & Anderson, H. (2016). Engaging families and other systems in school-based treatment. The Family Journal, 24(4), 395-405.
43. Richard, L. A., & Sosa, L. V. (2014). School social work in Louisiana: A model of practice. Children & Schools, 36(4), 211-220.
44. Robinson, O. C. (2014). Sampling in interviewing-based qualitative research: A theoretical and practical guide. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 11, 25-41.
45. Rubin, H. J., & Rubin, I. S. (2011). Qualitative interviewing: The art of hearing data (3rd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
46. Saldana, J. (2016). The coding manual for qualitative researchers (3rd ed.) Los Angeles, CA: Sage Publications, Inc.
47. Sanjari, M., Bahramnezhad, R., Khoshvava Fomani, F., Shoghi, M., & Ali Cheraghi, M. (2014). Ethical challenges of researchers in qualitative studies: The necessity to develop a specific guideline. Journal of Medical Ethics & History of Medicine, 7(14), 1-6.
48. Salvoy, R. (2013). Reporting educator misconduct. The Network: Texas Charter School Assistance & Support. Retrieved from http://www.txcharternetwork.org/Page/92
49. Schwilk, C., Stevenson, R., & Bateman, D. (2017). Sexual misconduct in the education and human services sector. Hershey, PA: IGI Global. Doi:10.4018/978-1-5225-0657-7
50. Seghedin, E. (2014). From the teacher's professional ethics to the personal professional responsibility. Acta Napocensia, 7(4), 13-22.
51. Shakeshaft, C. (2004). Educator sexual misconduct: A synthesis of existing literature. PPSS 204-09. US Department of Education.
52. Shakeshaft, C. (2013). Know the warning signs of educator sexual misconduct. Kappan, 94(5), 8-13.
53. Surface, J. L., Stader, D. L., & Armenta, A. D. (2014). Educator sexual misconduct and nondisclosure agreements: Policy guidance from Missouri’s Amy Hestir Student Protection Act. The Clearing House: A Journal of Educational Strategies, Issues and Ideas, 87(3), 130-133.
54. Suri, H. (2011). Purposeful sampling in qualitative research synthesis. Qualitative Research Journal, 11(2), 63-75.
55. Taplin, J. R. (1980). Implications of general systems theory for assessment and intervention. Professional Psychology, 11(5), 722-727.
56. Texas Department of State Health Services. (2014). Texas State Board of Social Worker Examiners Rules-Regulations. Title 22 Texas Administrative Code Part 34, Chapter 781. Retrieved from http://www.dshs.texas.gov/socialwork/sw_rules.shtm
57. Texas Education Agency (TEA). (2013, December). Shared responsibility in identifying, reporting inappropriate educator-student relationships. Texas Education Today, 28(2). Retrieved from http://tea.texas.gov/About_TEA/News_and_Multimedia/Press_Releases/2013/Texas_Safe_Schools_Week__Shared_responsibility_in_identifying,_reporting_inappropriate_educator-student_relationships/
58. Texas Education Agency (TEA). (2016). School boards. Retrieved from http://tea.texas.gov/Texas_Schools/School_Boards/
59. Texas Education Agency (2016). School district locator. Retrieved from http://tea.texas.gov/Texas_Schools/General_Information/School_District_Locator/School_District_Locator/
60. Thomas, E., & Magilvy, J. K. (2011). Qualitative rigor or research validity in qualitative research. Journal of Specialists in Pediatric Nursing. 16(2), 151-155.
61. Umpstead, R., Brady, K., Lugg, E., Klinker, J., & Thompson, D. (2013). Educator ethics: A comparison of teacher professional responsibility laws in four states. Journal of Law & Education. 42(2), 183-225.
62. U.S. Government Accountability Office. (2014). Child welfare: Federal agencies can better support state efforts to prevent and respond to sexual abuse by school personnel (GAO-14-42). Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.
63. Werner, D. (2015). Are school social workers prepared for a major school crisis? Indications of individual and school environment preparedness. Children & Schools, 37(1), 28-35.
64. West. S. G., Hatters-Friedman, S., & Knoll, J. L. (2010). Lessons to learn: Female educators who sexually abuse their students. Retrieved from http://www.psychiatrictimes.com/sexual-disorders/lessons-learn-female-educators-who-sexually-abuse-their-students?pageNumber=2
65. Wurtele, S. K. (2012). Preventing the sexual exploitation of minors in youth-serving organizations. Children and Youth Services Review, 34, 2442-2453.
66. Yin, R. (2014). Case Study research: Design and methods (5th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications Inc.
Copyright (c) 2025 Cedrina Ruffin
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
