Over the weekend, after 21 hours of deliberation, the verdict in the Jerry Sandusky trial was announced. Sandusky, of course, was the assistant football coach at Penn State, and was accused of inappropriate sexual contact with young boys. Three counts were thrown out, but Sandusky was found guilty of 45 of the 48 counts brought against him.
How does this affect you as a pastor or church staff person?
Last week, I received an email from a good friend who is a pastor in central PA. He said that pastors in his area are already feeling the effects of the Sandusky trial. He wrote:
“In the aftermath of Sandusky’s alleged crimes coming to light, advocacy groups within central Pennsylvania have seized the opportunity to begin a crusade to label non-reporting of abuse a criminal act. Recently, a pastor in my township of a church two miles from my house was arrested on charges of not reporting abuse. Here’s the link. This story hit both the print and the television news. While I have my own opinions about this crackdown on non-reporting, I will spare you from them at this time. I’m simply sending this news to you as a courtesy to know that failure to report has taken on a new penalty in my region of ministry. I believe what comes out of the Sandusky trial will have national implications on reporting.”
So, it seems that at least in Pennsylvania, the Sandusky trial is having an effect on pastors, if in no other way than bringing this issue of reporting to the forefront. Some pastors are finding their conversations and knowledge are bringing new consequences and legal obligations.
I must note that a similar notification case in Michigan was decided in a completely different manner. In that case, a pastor heard a confession of a defendant’s sexual assault of a young girl. But that conversation was found to be privileged pastor/congregant conversation (even though the confession was made in the presence of the defendant’s mother, who was also a church employee).
What are your thoughts on ‘notification’? As you pastor hurting (and troubled) people in your church and community, do you feel bound to report illegal (especially sexually deviant) behavior?
And do you know what the laws are in your state?
How does/will this kind of law affect the way you counsel and minister?
I’d love to hear your thoughts.
Todd
Yeah Todd, it’s always been my policy as a pastor to report a legitamate situation that would cause real harm to the individual or to someone else.
As a Canadian, I have been bound by law in this regard for many years – a policy that I totally support. It protects me and all involved. I have to trust God within the system but I believe that he is bigger than our legal system so that is not a problem.
The church, unfortunately, is made up of sinners, including the Leaders/Pastors…and often don’t want to do the right thing w/ regards to these matters…or it’s not a priority. Kids get hurt. The church (like Calvary Chapel and Chuck Smith) says “not my responsibility!” Well, then, victims pray that God will do something about it another way. The Law with regards to this important issue is good. Report, or be held accountable criminally. Our kids are that important. Child abuse (sexual and physical) has lasting effects and is terribly destructive. Report, report, report and vet your volunteers and employs who work with children at your church or there may be civil and/or criminal liability.
I was a PA foster home for a couple years (I eventually adopted out of foster care) and it was made clear to us that part of our clearances included the stipulation that if we ever heard of any child abuse we were REQUIRED to report TO THE AUTHORITIES immediately. Not just my boss and my church, but the PA authorities involved. I believe that in PA, pastors generally have the same clearances, but they often don’t know that they have the same mandatory reporting requirement.
I’m not a pastor but this is an issue that I have written about extensively. (See A Silence of Mockingbirds). I have a pastor friend in Portland who said he had to undergo various background checks, psychological assessments, etc. just to be able to minister among the homeless, without pay. Why would we require such stringent procedures for pastors to be able to minister in the first place and then fail to protect the people they are pastoring? Pastors, teachers, daycare workers etc. should all take their roles of mandatory-reporting seriously. Citing confidentiality doesn’t hold for when it is a child that is being abused. There is no excuse, none, for not reporting the suspected, or in many cases, known, abuse of a child. Those who remain silent become co-perpetrators of the crime.