News reports about abuse in public schools are wake-up call, say some

Published: 2007-11-02

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- A recent series by The Associated Press illustrating the "widespread" extent of sexual abuse in the nation's public schools and the failure of those in authority to stop it is a serious wake-up call for the nation say some officials. "The results are shocking, real and, sadly, not surprising," said Archbishop Harry J. Flynn of St. Paul and Minneapolis about the three-part AP series on abuse published in late October. He praised the wire service for doing a "a huge service to the nation by undertaking and publishing this study," but added that the series alone is "just the first step." In a column published in the Nov. 1 edition of The Catholic Spirit, his archdiocesan newspaper, Archbishop Flynn said he would like to see a comprehensive study of sexual abuse in public schools similar to the studies conducted by the John Jay College of Criminal Justice for the U.S. Catholic Church. He also urged the groups that worked with the church after the clergy abuse scandal broke in 2002 to "dedicate their time and resources on the deeply entrenched problem of sexual abuse in our public schools."

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