Erin's Law

Throughout the school year, school psychologists and social workers throughout Valley Stream 24 will be teaching kindergarten through sixth grade classes lessons about keeping themselves safe. Under “Erin’s Law”, all New York State public schools are required to implement a prevention-oriented child abuse program which teaches students age-appropriate strategies to recognize child sexual abuse and to tell a trusted adult. Input on the lessons was provided by District administrators, school psychologists, school social workers, and parents.

The lessons will focus on child-abuse prevention and will be taught in a developmentally appropriate manner. During the lessons, students will learn:

● That their bodies are their own and some parts of their body are private (i.e., covered by a bathing suit or underwear).

● The differences between safe/comfortable vs. unsafe/uncomfortable touch.

● The difference between safe and unsafe secrets.

● Assertive actions that they can take (e.g., stating “No”, “Stop”, No-Go-Tell).

● Who are trusted adults that they can talk to and that no form of touch is ever a secret.

The district and all involved in this instruction are keenly aware of the sensitive nature of this topic. We have ensured that our lessons are age-appropriate and use student-friendly language to approach this legally mandated topic. If you would like additional information, please click the links below: