MINUTES OF THE

      ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

 

      Sixty-seventh Session

      May 10, 1993

 

 

 

The Assembly Committee on Education was called to order by Chairman Wendell P. Williams, at 3:35 p.m., on Monday, May 10, 1993, in Room 330 of the Legislative Building, Carson City, Nevada.  Exhibit A is the Meeting Agenda.  Exhibit B is the Attendance Roster.

 

 

COMMITTEE MEMBERS PRESENT:

 

      Mr. Wendell P. Williams, Chairman

      Mr. Ken L. Haller, Vice Chairman

      Mrs. Vonne Chowning

      Mr. Tom Collins, Jr.

      Mrs. Marcia de Braga

      Mr. William D. Gregory

      Mr. James W. McGaughey

      Mr. Roy Neighbors

      Mr. Michael A. Schneider

      Mrs. Gene W. Segerblom

      Ms. Sandra Tiffany

 

COMMITTEE MEMBERS ABSENT:

 

      None.

 

GUEST LEGISLATORS PRESENT:

 

      Assemblyman Erin Kenny, District 4

      Assemblyman Richard Perkins, District 23

 

STAFF MEMBERS PRESENT:

 

      Donald Williams, Research Analyst

 

OTHERS PRESENT:

 

      Kathleen Stewart, Committee for the Protection of Children

      Blanche M. Zucker, Committee for the Protection of Children

      Carolyne Edwards, Clark County School District

      Debbie Cahill, Nevada State Education Association

      Greg Betts, Rural School Districts of Nevada

      May Shelton, Washoe County Social Services

      Henry Etchemendy, Nevada Association of School Boards

      Bobbie Gang, Nevada Women's Lobby

      Mary Peterson, Department of Education

      Helen Foley, Nevada Nurses Association

      Marsha Berkbigler, Nevada Medical Association

      Cathy Wilson, Child Abuse & Neglect Task Force

 

 

ASSEMBLY BILL 529 -     Requires board of trustees of school district to establish program of instruction relating to child abuse for younger pupils.

 

Assemblyman Erin Kenny, Assembly District 4, presented testimony in support of the bill.  Mrs. Kenny referred to a television program she had viewed on the Disney Channel titled, "Winnie the Pooh's Good Touch, Bad Touch."  The premise was clear and when Mrs. Kenny asked her three children what they had learned from the program, they responded, "They got it."  Mrs. Kenny emphasized it was the key element to the bill; children could be empowered with knowledge and should be taught what is acceptable and what is not, with regard to abuse.

 

Mrs. Kenny pointed out the average age of child abuse began at age four and it was imperative to teach children as early as possible how to protect themselves.  According to Mrs. Kenny, Nevada was the leading state in the nation for child abuse and she stressed the safety lesson must be reinforced regularly. 

 

Assemblyman Richard Perkins, Assembly District 23, read verbatim from prepared testimony in support of AB 529 (Exhibit C).  Mr. Perkins clarified he had spent two years of his law enforcement career investigating crimes of sexual assault and child abuse.  Mr. Perkins maintained one out of three girls and one out of five boys would be sexually abused before reaching the age of majority.  A percentage of children higher than 80 percent were abused by someone they knew, most commonly a natural parent, step-parent, live-in, uncle, babysitter, neighbor, or family friend.

 

Mr. Perkins remarked many child abuse cases were at the hands of someone the child knew since it was easier for the known person to build a rapport with the child.  Mr. Perkins concluded the bill would help educate children so they would not be programmed to be victims, and he urged the committee to support the bill.

 

Kathleen Stewart, Committee for the Protection of Children and Nevada Committee for the Training Reporters of Child Abuse Neglect, read verbatim from prepared testimony in support of the bill (Exhibit D).  Mrs. Stewart informed the committee she was an incest survivor and most children grew up believing their home was exactly like the rest of the world.

 

Mrs. Stewart emphasized if an abused prevention program was mandated in the schools, children could be taught to recognize what abuse was.  Children from abused homes remained mentally abused for years; they were not wanted, they were not good enough, they were only useful for what their body could do, and they were bad.  Many abused children grew up and abused their children since they were raised without boundaries and role models of acceptable behaviors.

 

According to Mrs. Stewart, each day approximately 8,000 children across the nation were reported as being abused.  Mrs. Stewart concluded the best solution for abuse was to prevent it from ever occurring by educating children at an early age, and she urged the committee to support AB 529.

 

Mary Peterson, Deputy Superintendent of Public Instruction, Department of Education, read verbatim from prepared testimony in support of the bill (Exhibit E).  Mrs. Peterson pointed out the instruction of reporting and preventing child abuse was currently required in the Nevada course of study.  Mrs. Peterson stated there were five objectives from the elementary course of study which addressed the issue of child abuse beginning in kindergarten and continuing through sixth grade.  Mrs. Peterson concluded the passage of AB 529 would strengthen and support the need for instruction at every grade level.

 

Blanche Zucker, Chairperson for the Committee for the Protection of Children, read verbatim from prepared testimony in support of the bill (Exhibit F).  Mrs. Zucker mentioned according to the Division of Child and Family Services, in 1980 there were 2,559 reported cases of child abuse or neglect in Clark County and in 1991, the figure rose to 6,981.  Washoe County reported 398 cases in 1980 and 3,124 in 1991.

 

Mrs. Zucker emphasized the importance of the school districts joining forces to address the critical issues of the maiming, demeaning, and destruction of Nevada's children, and she urged the committee to support the bill.

 

Carolyne Edwards, Clark County School District, spoke in support of AB 529 and commented the material was currently covered in the adopted state curriculum for elementary education.  Mrs. Edwards stated any effort from the legislature was additional support and she urged the committee to pass the bill.

 

Greg Betts, Rural School Districts of Nevada, encouraged the committee to support the bill.  

 

Henry Etchemendy, Nevada Association of School Boards, presented testimony in favor of the bill and urged its passage.

 

Debbie Cahill, Nevada State Education Association, spoke in favor of the bill.

 

May Shelton, Director, Washoe County Social Services, emphasized the number of reports of child abuse was rapidly growing, and due to the lack of funding for positions to investigate such cases, the prevention of child abuse was imperative.  Mrs. Shelton concluded by urging the committee to pass the bill.

 

Bobbie Gang, Nevada Women's Lobby and National Association of Social Workers-Nevada Chapter, presented testimony in support of the bill.  Mrs. Gang pointed out the average age at which  sexual molestation began was four years old, and 44 percent of child abuse cases were against children five years or younger.

 

Helen Foley, Nevada Nurses Association and Junior League of Las Vegas, spoke in support of AB 529. 

 

Marsha Berkbigler, Nevada Medical Association, urged the committee to pass the bill.

 

Cathy Wilson, Child Abuse Neglect Task Force of Northern Nevada, spoke in support of the bill and pointed out child pornographers had an international computer hot line in which they instructed each other on how to abuse children; the younger the better, since they could not testify in court.

 

Mrs. Chowning remarked the statistics presented did not include the children or families who had not been reported for child abuse.  Mrs. Chowning questioned if there was any fiscal note involved.  Mrs. Kenny replied, "There was none."  Ms. Edwards added since the material was currently covered under the adopted curriculum, there was no fiscal note.

 

Ms. Tiffany asked if the program would be optional for children with the required parental approval.  Ms. Edwards responded currently permission slips were necessary.  Ms. Tiffany questioned if all schools implemented the program.  Ms. Edwards indicated she could only speak for Clark County; however, since it was adopted into the elementary curriculum, all schools should be participating.

 

Ms. Tiffany asked what occurred after a teacher had become aware of a potential child abuse situation.  Ms. Edwards replied it must be reported immediately within a 24-hour period which was required by law.  Ms. Tiffany was concerned certain children could be fantasizing or not telling the truth.  Ms. Edwards clarified in most cases, marks were found on the children after inspection.  After a determination was made, the schools reported the situation to Social Services or Metro.

 

      ASSEMBLYMAN HALLER MOVED TO DO PASS AB 529.

 

      ASSEMBLYMAN DE BRAGA SECONDED THE MOTION.

 

      THE MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.

 

Chairman Williams announced there would be a subcommittee meeting on AB 290 on Tuesday, May 11, at 5:30 p.m.

 

There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 4:08 p.m.

 

                             RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED:

 

 

 

                                                                         

                            Marilyn Cole, Committee Secretary

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Assembly Committee on Education

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Assembly Committee on Education

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