Dear state legislators,

The law has the right idea, but the wrong execution for mandatory reporters. More than half of students who have been reported stated that their situation worsened. This happens because the law forces mandated reporters to report no matter what. The longer students are reported for what they talk about, the more they stop sharing. When we talk about our home or mental health, telling our parents could worsen the situation. This voids the intent of the law because it could discourage us to seek support.

Mandatory reporters are there to talk, yet only 32% of students reported that it helped them. This means the law largely works for those not in danger, or those with supportive families that they have no problem talking with. They get the most use out of counselors and talking to teachers. Sometimes students facing hard situations get out and reach a better place, but that’s not everyone’s case.

A friend of mine was reported many times, and each time people came, their parents got angry, and my friend stopped reporting. One day, their call for help was finally taken seriously and they were placed somewhere better. My own brother was put into foster homes, and each one made him feel unwelcome. He felt like he wasn’t doing much better than before, but at least it wasn’t with his dad’s place. While it has its downsides, mandatory reporting has had positive impacts.

Though mandatory reporting has helped to an extent, as it is made to, it has not outweighed the lives hurt by its reports. In Youth Today, Richard Wexler reports incidents where law enforcement did nothing because of a lack of evidence or attention to detail, leaving victims at the mercy of the abusers agitated by the police at their door. I have personally seen this with multiple friends having CPS coming and doing nothing, leaving them in a worse situation than before and making their parents more hostile towards them. This makes the children who need it the most reluctant to reach out for help. Most trusted adults have to report, so they cannot talk freely, making adults untrustworthy and impractical.

The American Federation of Teachers (AFT) have spoken about the brokenness of the system. AFT president Randi Wellington spoke about how mandated reporting puts educators in a difficult situation because of the thin line between helping and harming. If teachers do not report, they get in severe trouble. They stutter in these situations because the law takes a one-size-fits-all approach and requires reporting of the smallest incidents, even though each situation is different. This results in students avoiding teachers when they need them most.

The AFT proposes mandatory supporters instead of mandatory reporters, which take in better consideration of each story. A mandatory supporter consider of other tools and resources before going straight to the child welfare system, such as collaboration, consultations, and school families. This system would allow students to speak about what is going on without fear of the consequences that could come with it.

State legislators, I would like you to look back at this law and consider how much it is truly helping students. When this law was made, it had the best in mind, but the best is not enough. It is time to change the system and give students a place where they can talk without hesitation. A place where they get true help, not one that harms them.