Editorial: School case a wake-up call on reporting sex-abuse suspicions

People entrust their children to teachers every day and expect more than lessons in math and English. They expect - no, they demand - that teachers watch over children and protect them as if they were their own.

Sadly, that responsibility may have been ignored in Ingleside-based Gavin Elementary District 37. There, officials recently told parents three teachers may have had reason for concern about "alleged inappropriate conduct" between colleague Michael R. Vucic and a minor, but did nothing about it. Such inaction, if found to be true, is unacceptable on many levels.

Teachers are included on a list of about three dozen or more "mandated reporters" who are required by state law to call the Illinois Child Abuse Hotline when they have reasonable cause to believe a child known to them in their professional or official capacity may be abused or neglected. Others on the list include personnel from the medical, social service/mental health, law enforcement and child care fields, and the clergy.

For any mandated reporters who aren't sure of their responsibility, or are reluctant to get involved, we point to this case as a wake-up call.

Vucic, 41, of Lake Forest, fled to Europe on Aug. 26, days before being charged with five counts of predatory criminal sexual assault and five counts of criminal sexual assault. He was apprehended Sept. 15 in Sarajevo, and remains in custody awaiting extradition.

Authorities said Vucic molested a female Gavin South Middle School student under the age of 13. According to authorities, the girl told her grandparents she had sexual contact with Vucic several times in 2012. The abuse was reported Aug. 25, and two more possible victims have come forward since then, officials said.

Recently, District 37 officials received information from authorities about an ongoing investigation that three other teachers at the school had reason at some point to report concerns about Vucic to school officials or authorities but didn't. One teacher has submitted a letter of resignation and two others are on administrative leave. The district said it expects to take "dismissal action" possibly as soon as Oct. 14.

In a statement to the community, the school board and administration called the allegations "shocking and disturbing."

We agree.

In its Manual for Mandated Reporters, the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services says an estimated 125,000 Illinois children are abused or neglected each year, and one in five kids are abused before age 18.

Teachers and other mandated reporters, may be the first to notice signs of abuse and neglect. Reporting their concerns could prevent the tragedy from worsening.

The Illinois Child Abuse Hotline phone number is 1-800-252-2873.