Realizing The Positives of Deception During Research

One positive example of the effects of this research can have on young children and families happened have occurred at the school where I where I am employed in Illinois, in the year 2009. I noticed a student refusing to go to class due to personal issues that caused him, to be embarrassed by other students. The students would talk bad about the way he smelled which made him dislike school. The principal allowed this child to walk around and skip classes daily. The teachers did not care enough to report issues that were visible. This young man, age 12, had developed a great relationship with me because he knew that I cared about the overall outcome of his academics as well as his personal interests. My gut wouldn’t let this situation ride. I began to research his family’s history and found out that there were sexual predators in his family. I could not share the knowledge I had gained because I was afraid that if I told him that he would close up and not share any information. After I figured that he was being sexually abused, I got permission from my principal to interview him to find out any facts that would help my thoughts of abuse. I opened the interview by asking him if there was anything that was bothering him that causes him not to want to attend his classes. I could tell from his body language that it was more to this problem. I began to tell him that anything that he shared with me would not leave the room, although I knew better because I am a mandated reporter. The child was resilient to opening up to me, I felt it. I thought quick and grabbed his hands and told him that I had been through what he is going through, although what I said was fabricated. This was the only way that I could get him to be honest with me. I told him that it happened to me as a child and I was doing the same things that he was doing- acting out. I said that I was younger than he was when it happened. I then asked him if this was happening to him, reassuring him that I would not share this information and that I only wanted to help him cope with his issue. He told me that he was being raped by his older brother and his uncle which was his mothers brother. I knew that my gut was right. He shared with me that this had been going on every since he was five . Again, as a mandated reporter, I had no choice but to help the child. I told my principal my findings and we called the Department of Children and Family Services of Illinois. Yes, I felt bad for telling the child that I would not share the information. I manipulated my words to grasp my findings, but I knew what was more important. The Department Of Children and Family Services found this allegation to be true. I feared that I had lost my relationship with that child because I deceived him to get the information that I needed to help him. I was touched when he hugged me when he saw me again, after he was removed from his mother that knew about this abuse. The uncle and brother are still in jail to this day. It has been almost a four years and we still have a great relationship. He is now in school, and he loves young ladies. He even has a few young ladies that he visits often. I was frustrated that my colleagues did not care enough to step in and help the child. I know that I have a place in helping children of all ages, but I prefer to be in Early Childhood Education. I want to be a part of helping to shape young children’s overall outcomes, as I offer passion, dedication and love for them. We have to care enough to step in and help to stir the needed changes to the field.