中國網站品牌欄目（頻道）
An investigation into America's public education system has revealed more than 2,500 sexual abuse cases in which educators were punished for their actions ranging from groping to sexual relationships and rape.
The seven-month investigation by the Associated Press found that nearly three abuses per day were committed by some of the country's 3 million public school teachers.
Most of the abuse never gets reported and cases often end with no action. Cases investigated sometimes can't be proven, and many abusers have several victims.
Those are the findings of?the investigation in which reporters sought disciplinary records in all 50 states.
The study found 2,570 educators whose teaching credentials were revoked, denied, surrendered or sanctioned from 2001 through 2005 following allegations of sexual misconduct.
Young people were the victims in at least 1,800 of the cases, and more than 80 percent of those were students.
At least half the educators who were punished by their states were also convicted of crimes relating to their misconduct.
Beyond the horror of individual crimes, the larger shame is that the institutions that govern education have only sporadically addressed the problem that's been apparent for years.
"From my own experience - this could get me in trouble - I think every single school district in the nation has at least one perpetrator," says Mary Jo McGrath, a Californian lawyer who has spent 30 years investigating abuse and misconduct in schools.
One report mandated by Congress estimated that as many as 4.5 million students, out of roughly 50 million in American schools, are subject to sexual misconduct by an employee of a school sometime between kindergarten and 12th grade.
Jennah Bramow, a victim of serial abuser Gary Lindsey, wonders why there isn't more outrage.
You're supposed to be able to send your kids to school knowing that they're going to be safe," says Bramow,. While other victims accepted settlement deals and signed confidentiality agreements, she sued her city's schools for failing to protect her and others from Lindsey and won. Only then was Lindsey's teaching license finally revoked.
As an 8-year-old elementary-school student, Bramow told how Lindsey forced her hand on what she called his pee-pee."
Lindsey, now 68, refused multiple requests for an interview.
Like Lindsey, the perpetrators that the AP found are everyday educators, teachers, school psychologists, principals and superintendents.
Questions:
1. How many sexual misconduct cases did the investigation uncover?
2. According to the report how many school students are there in the United States?
3. How many teachers are estimated to be working in public schools in America?
Answers:
1.?2,570.
2.?50 million.
3.?3 million.
（英語點津 Linda 編輯）
About the broadcaster:
Marc Checkley is a freelance journalist and media producer from Auckland, New Zealand. Marc has an eclectic career in the media/arts, most recently working as a radio journalist for NewstalkZB, New Zealand’s leading news radio network, as a feature writer for Travel Inc, New Nutrition Business (UK) and contributor for Mana Magazine and the Sunday Star Times. Marc is also a passionate arts educator and is involved in various media/theatre projects in his native New Zealand and Singapore where he is currently based. Marc joins the China Daily with support from the Asia New Zealand Foundation.
