In Priscilla Cummings' What Mr. Mattero Did, three seventh-graders, Jenna, Suzanne and Claire, informed their principal that Mr. Mattero, the music teacher, had molested them.
I was immediately suspicious of their accusations, because most victims of sexual abuse never report being harmed. They may mention it to a friend but rarely to their parents or to the authorities. In addition, according to Joan J. Johnson's Teen Prostitution, in most cases, sexually abused nymphets are victims of incest. In other words, nymphets are most commonly molested by their fathers or step-fathers, and in some cases their brothers, uncles or cousins are the abusers.
That is exactly what happened in What Mr. Mattero Did. Phoebe, another middle schooler, confessed to Claire that she was sexually abused by her step-father. Phoebe confessed to Claire, because she thought that Claire was a victim of sexual abuse as well.
"You're the only person I've told," Phoebe said. "'Cause you've been through it, Claire. So you know what it's like. It's one reason I wanted so bad to be your friend. Because, like you'd understand."
But Phoebe begged Claire not to report the abuse to her mother or to the authorities.
"Please don't tell anyone, Clair. Please don't." Phoebe said.
Of course, all reports of sexual abuse should be aggressively investigated, but just like in Mr. Mattero's case, the accused should be considered innocent until proven guilty.
In addition, students who falsely accuse teachers of sexual harassment or abuse should be disciplined (i.e., expelled). It's not enough for a falsely accused teacher to be allowed back into the classroom.
Furthermore, teacher's should be able to send students to "Rubber Rooms". For example, the next time a student commands a teacher to suck her dick, which is something that occurs in schools in New York City, that student should be disciplined the same way that a teacher would be disciplined for telling a student to SMD.
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