Robert Fathman's letter to the Dispatch, June 15, 1999

Bill Bush, Reporter
Columbus Dispatch

Re: your article 6/15/99 about the abuse of many students at Beatty Elementary School, here is a suggestion for a follow-up story.

What, if anything, does the State Dept. of Education do about teachers who abuse kids. I'm a psychologist,. and I am quite sure my license would be suspended, and probably would be revoked, by the Ohio Board of Psychology if I treated a child or adult patient that way. The Board could order counseling for me, anger management sessions, that I only work under direct supervision, etc. And I would not have to be convicted of violating Ohio's criminal code. If I simply violate what the Board would consider professional conduct standards, I would be in deep trouble. Yet the State Dept. of Education seems to rarely use their ability to clean up their profession. Only if a teacher is convicted of a felony does that licensing Board seem to take a stand for children. Are they investigating? Why would they wait for a criminal investigation, if that is their answer to you? Do they want these people teaching children while the court process plods on?

I'd love to see the story.

Robert Fathman, Ph.D., President,
National Coalition to Abolish Corporal Punishment in Schools
5805 Tarton Circle N.
Dublin, OH 43017
o. 766-6688
h. 798-0031
See our website: http://www.stophitting.com