[BHS Etree] ADMIN - Inaccurate Reports On Teen Prostitution

[BHS etree]

Dear BHS Families:

 

In the last few days media items have raised questions about teenage
prostitution in the city of Berkeley, and in some cases those stories have
contained speculation and/or drawn connections to Berkeley High School. 

 

This is an extremely serious issue that warrants attention, but I feel that
a particular headline released by KTVU this morning on their website and in
an accompanying television piece, Reports of Teenage Hookers Rock Berkeley
High School, did a massive disservice to the BHS community. From my
perspective, KTVU prioritized the need for a salacious, tabloid-style
headline over a thorough, fact-checked report. 

 

KTVU cites supposedly confirmed reports that Berkeley police are “receiving
one to two referrals per month from BHS officials about suspected student
prostitution.” This is incorrect and inaccurate, and no one at BHS was
contacted for input, confirmation, or comment on the report. 

 

Our current understanding is that the one or two reports BPD receives per
month on possible youth prostitution are citywide numbers. 

 

The Berkeley Police Department subsequently confirmed today in both a
meeting with myself and via press release, that in 2010 their Special
Victim’s Unit investigated three (3) cases that involved BHS students. So
far this year, BPD has investigated two (2) cases that they say involved BHS
students. None of these investigations involved prostitution on the BHS
campus, nor were they centered anywhere within the jurisdiction of Berkeley
High School. 

 

I am grateful for our ongoing collaborative relationship with law
enforcement, yet law enforcement agencies are in fact restricted in terms of
the information that they can share with us when incidents occur off campus
and outside of our jurisdiction. 

 

In October, the City of Berkeley’s Commission on the Status of Women held a
community forum that raised issues about the sexual exploitation of minors
within the city. That forum, and a subsequent forum last night, led to the
exploration of whether the juveniles involved were connected to Berkeley
High School. 

 

Berkeley High supports the stated objectives of the Commission, has spoken
with the chair, and plans to have representatives meet with them in the
coming days. 

 

Our counseling staff and administrative team both discussed the matter this
morning in light of the news reports and recalled no more than one or two
cases that came directly to our attention over the past several years. Those
cases were referred to the proper authorities and followed up on
extensively. 

 

Teen prostitution, or any sexual exploitation of minors is obviously a grim
matter, and in my estimation, one of the most contemptible and degrading
forms of child abuse. 

 

Berkeley High School administrators and counselors will, if and when cases
like this come to our attention, always follow-up on any and all reports
with an aggressive package of actions and interventions. Those actions and
interventions will include immediate referrals to both Child Protective
Services (CPS) and on-site mental and physical health care professionals
(BHS Health Center), as well as referrals to school counselors. Our process
and response, should cases arise, will also happen in consultation with
local law enforcement. 

 

We are not naïve to the fact that among our 3200 students there are those
who are struggling through incomprehensibly difficult issues, and that some
of those kids, often neglected and inadequately supported, can end up in
appalling situations and circumstances. 

 

That said, one case of this type of is too many and we will continue to do
our best to identify and support all students in any danger of physical or
emotional harm by directing the resources we have at our disposal towards
them, and by helping them access all of the services available to them via
our partnering agencies and organizations. 

 

I am committed to being open and communicative about both the best and most
challenging aspects of this very expansive and most amazing school. As
always, my team and I are committed to giving you accurate and unvarnished
information pertaining to Berkeley High School both when there are matters
relevant to student welfare to be shared and when external reports need to
be contextualized, corrected, or put in proper perspective.

 

Respectfully,

 

Pasquale Scuderi

Principal

Berkeley High School

 

 

______________

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