[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 68 (Monday, May 14, 2012)]
[Senate]
[Page S3131]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mrs. FEINSTEIN (for herself, Mr. Kyl, Mrs. Hutchison, and Mr. 
        Lautenberg):
  S. 3173. A bill to allow funds under title II of the Elementary and 
Secondary Education Act of 1965 to be used to provide training to 
school personnel regarding how to recognize child sexual abuse; to the 
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
  Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, I rise today on behalf of myself and 
Senator Hutchison, to introduce bipartisan legislation that would 
expand No Child Left Behind professional development funding to include 
training for teachers and school personnel on how to recognize signs of 
sexual abuse in students.
  According to the National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System, 
695,000 children were victims of maltreatment in 2010. Approximately 
9.2 percent, or 63,940 children, were victims of sexual abuse; this is 
an increase from 7.6 percent in 2009.
  Recent events have shown that warning signs of sexual abuse in 
children are being missed. The vast majority of States mandate that 
teachers report suspicions of child abuse, yet not all States require 
teachers to participate in training.
  According to the National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System, 60 
percent of all reports of child abuse and neglect are made by 
professionals, yet only 16 percent of abuse and neglect is reported by 
education personnel.
  Given the amount of time teachers and school personnel spend with 
children, it is of absolute importance that the warning signs of child 
sexual abuse be identified, reported, and acted on. It is critical to 
make sure all school personnel have access to training on how to 
recognize child sexual abuse.
  The Helping Schools Protect Our Children Act of 2012 expands the list 
of allowable uses for Elementary and Secondary Education Act, ESEA, 
Title II funding to permit States to use this funding to train 
teachers, principals, and other school personnel on how to recognize 
child sexual abuse. Under current law, Title II provides grants to 
States for a variety of purposes related to recruitment, retention, and 
professional development of K 12 teachers and principals. Our bill 
would allow professional development funds in schools to be used to 
provide teachers with the tools to recognize child sexual abuse.
  I am proud that Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison, Senate Minority Whip 
Jon Kyl, and my colleague Senator Frank Lautenberg have joined me as 
original cosponsors on this bill.
  It is essential that as mandated reporters, school personnel should 
have the proper training to recognize child abuse. When there are no 
witnesses, what happens behind closed doors in an abusive home can scar 
a child for a lifetime. The more we learn to recognize the signs of 
abuse or neglect, the better we will foster a safe environment for 
young people to learn and grow.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be 
printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be 
printed in the Record, as follows:

                                S. 3173

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Helping Schools Protect Our 
     Children Act of 2012''.

     SEC. 2. TRAINING TEACHERS TO RECOGNIZE CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE.

       (a) State Activities.--Section 2113(c) of the Elementary 
     and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6613(c)) is 
     amended by adding at the end the following:
       ``(19) Providing training for all school personnel, 
     including teachers, principals, and pupil services personnel, 
     regarding how to recognize child sexual abuse.''.
       (b) Local Educational Agency Activities.--Section 2123(a) 
     of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 
     U.S.C. 6623(a)) is amended by inserting after paragraph (8) 
     the following:
       ``(9) Providing training for all school personnel, 
     including teachers, principals, and pupil services personnel, 
     regarding how to recognize child sexual abuse.''.
       (c) Eligible Partnership Activities.--Subpart III of part A 
     of title II of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 
     1965 (20 U.S.C. 6631 et seq.) is amended--
       (1) in section 2132(a), by striking ``the activities'' and 
     inserting ``activities''; and
       (2) in section 2134(a)--
       (A) in paragraph (1)(B), by striking ``and'' after the 
     semicolon;
       (B) in paragraph (2)(C), by striking the period at the end 
     and inserting ``; or''; and
       (C) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(3) providing training for school personnel, including 
     teachers, principals, and pupil services personnel, regarding 
     how to recognize child sexual abuse.''.
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