Twin Cities Archbishop resigns—or—Who is shrewd and who is brave?

My email was flooded this morning with news that St. Paul and Minneapolis Archbishop John C. Nienstedt and Auxiliary Bishop Lee A. Piché had resigned. If you haven’t been following the news, the archdiocese has been hammered during the past two years as legal disclosures showed that Archdiocese officials knew about child sexual abuse and…Continue reading Twin Cities Archbishop resigns—or—Who is shrewd and who is brave?

One Servite High School file is all you need

This is probably the most telling document trail from today’s release of clergy sex abuse documents. From the file of Servite Friar and former Servite HS teacher Joe Sharkey: Letter from Fr. Steven Ryan to Servite Provincial Fr. Terence O’Connor: One of the difficulties awaiting my return from Australia was that Joe Sharkey had been guilty…Continue reading One Servite High School file is all you need

When the sheep smell a rat: A message on Zero Tolerance

In his Holy Thursday message, Pope Francis told priests to embrace a “good and healthy” tiredness by spending engaged time with the faithful and doing the “real work” of a priest. From Reuters: The faithful never leave us without something to do, unless we hide in our offices or go out in our cars wearing…Continue reading When the sheep smell a rat: A message on Zero Tolerance

An epidemic of child sex abuse in our public schools

There’s a banner that hangs outside of Costa Mesa’s (California) Whittier Elementary School. Its slogan— Children are our first priority—is a painfully ironic reminder of one of the biggest problems plaguing our public schools. That problem is child sexual abuse by public school employees—an epidemic that is raging out of control. Don’t believe it’s a problem?…Continue reading An epidemic of child sex abuse in our public schools

Shattuck-St. Mary’s Part Three: Inside the mind of a predator

  I give you two predators: One fictional. One real. The similarities will stun you. “It’s very boring, having to listen to the silly little troubles of an eleven-year-old girl,” he went on. “But I was patient. I wrote back. I was sympathectic, I was kind. Ginny simply loved me. No one’s ever understood me…Continue reading Shattuck-St. Mary’s Part Three: Inside the mind of a predator

Shattuck-St. Mary’s Part 2: The choice

*** This post is updated with a statement by Shattuck-St. Mary’s.*** In 2003, Headmaster Nick Stoneman had a choice. His drama teacher had been found with child pornography on a school computer. This same teacher—Lynn Seibel—had admitted to being complicit in “Naked Dance Parties” with male students in school bathrooms. Seibel was also rumored to have…Continue reading Shattuck-St. Mary’s Part 2: The choice

The Total Failure of Shattuck-St. Mary’s

A boarding school. Naked dance parties. Child pornography. Molestation. An arrest. A suicide. Allegations. Lawsuits. A cover-up. Total institutional ethical failure. When I first heard about the scandal at Minnesota’s Shattuck-St. Mary’s (I’ll refer to it from now on as SSM), I had a hard time wrapping my arms around the extent of the criminal…Continue reading The Total Failure of Shattuck-St. Mary’s

Do you know the signs of child sex trafficking?

  I didn’t … and note: these children can be as young as 11 From today’s OC Register (emphasis mine): Though there isn’t a single background or profile that describes all those girls, summit presenters said there are typical risk factors – including poverty, family dysfunction, learning disabilities, childhood sexual abuse, isolation, emotional distress and…Continue reading Do you know the signs of child sex trafficking?

Ask a Question Friday: How can I learn more about the Survivors’ Movement

  (Note: Yes, I am actually posting this on a Friday. Shocker.) How can I learn more about the Survivors’ Movement and SNAP, that organization with whom you do so much work? Is there anywhere I can hear the best and brightest speakers on the topic and meet people who are working for justice for adult…Continue reading Ask a Question Friday: How can I learn more about the Survivors’ Movement

Ask a Question Friday: My kid is too young for prevention education

Joelle, you constantly stress how important it is to “armor” your child against abuse from as early as infancy and toddlerhood. I don’t agree. My child is too young to know about sex. Why do you insist on exposing children so early and ruining their innocence? Armoring your child does NOT include talking about sex.…Continue reading Ask a Question Friday: My kid is too young for prevention education

Naughty Twitter Feed? Say Adios to that scholarship, my friend!

Talking to teenagers about their social media presence can be a drag. But if you have a teen and that teen is online, talking to your kid about his or her “online presence” can make the difference between a free college education and a lifetime of student debt. Don’t believe me? Just ask the high schooler…Continue reading Naughty Twitter Feed? Say Adios to that scholarship, my friend!

Ask a Question Friday: Reporting and Institutions

This week’s question, two days late. Joelle, how do scandals in places like Penn State and the Catholic Church start? I mean, these aren’t bad people in these institutions, right? Will new policies by these organizations and others make sure that men and women who abuse children are reported and stopped, instead of protected? This…Continue reading Ask a Question Friday: Reporting and Institutions