Dear Concord Parents,

Concord Elementary School’s Social-Emotional Learning curriculum will include Erin’s Law again this year. This is a state-mandated, age-appropriate child sexual abuse awareness and prevention education program for our students in grades kindergarten through 4. 

It is estimated that 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 6 boys will be sexually abused by the time they turn eighteen years old. It is also estimated that around 90% of the abusers are people the child knows. This could be relatives, babysitters, neighbors, or other family acquaintances. Out of those sexually abused children, it is estimated that 60% will never tell someone.

In response to these startling statistics, and the hard work of Erin Merryn, who took a personal tragedy and created a positive change across America, Erin’s Law is now implemented in 38 states and pending in 12 more states. In February 2011, Governor Pat Quinn was the first to sign Erin's Law for Illinois.

Erin’s Law will be taught during Skills for Learning lessons in the last week of February and the first week of March. For more information, here are some links to resources regarding Erin’s Law and sexual abuse:

Erin’s Law - http://erinslaw.org – This website details what Erin’s Law is, who Erin Merryn is, and provides many more resources, programs, and information on the subject of child sexual abuse.

Second Step – https://www.secondstep.org/child-protection – This teaches our students to recognize, respond, and report unsafe situations as well as learn rules to stay safe.

If you do not wish to have your child participate in the program, you have the right to keep them from participating. If you wish to have your child be excluded from this program, you must submit your objection in writing to Principal Laura Anderson.

If you have questions about this program, please contact Helen Park, school counselor, hpark@cassd63.org.