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Upon completion of a Master of Education in Guidance and Counseling from Angelo State University, I hope to be employed as a school counselor at the elementary or high school level. The majority of my professional experience has occurred in elementary education. However, my life experience would also be beneficial to help high school students.

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Alicia Lohberger- Elementary School Counselor

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Alicia Lohberger- Elementary School Counselor

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I spoke with Alicia Lohberger about current legal and ethical issues impacting her role as an elementary school counselor.

#1: School Safety - With the recent events at schools around the country, school safety is a top concern for teachers, parents, and community members. School officials are attempting to assure the community their varying opinions are heard while implementing and changing procedures that keep students as safe as possible.

#2: Confidentiality - When working with elementary students, sometimes they feel betrayed when a safety report has to be made on their behalf. Students are told that discussions are private unless they are being harmed or if they plan to harm themselves or others in any way. This explanation does not always prevent the feeling of betrayal after a report is made.

#3 - Cultural Differences - It can be difficult to set cultural differences aside or respect differences when they are causing disturbances with normal counseling procedures or services.

#4 - Professional Relationships - Some families and students tend to feel a closeness with the counselor and may try to develop a relationship beyond the professional boundaries. It is up to the counselor to state those boundaries and always work within professional walls.

#5: Use of Resources - Sometimes resources are limited and the counselor must make hard decisions to be sure those resources go to the students and families who need them most.

(A. Lohberger, personal communication, June 6, 2018)

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American School Counselor Assosciation (ASCA)

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American School Counselor Assosciation (ASCA)

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During my exploration of the ASCA website, I looked into their Position Statements. More specifically, their position on Child Abuse and Neglect. The ASCA recognizes school counselors to be advocates for the needs of children and calls school counselors mandatory reporters when child abuse or neglect is suspected.

The ASCA has also been involved in the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) which replaced the No Child Left Behind Act in 2015. The ASCA has worked to ensure that ESSA contains components that regulate and require counselor-related services to be provided to students. These requirements can be found on ASCA's website.

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Home | American School Counselor Association (ASCA)

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I conducted an internet search on the role of the school counselor and the Every Student Succeeds Act and came upon the NEA website and its support and recognition for the need of school counselors in education.

The NEA also provides guidance on the specifics of new rules within the ESSA, as well as how school officials and community members can ensure their school counselor is being utilized to promote student success.

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NEA Healthy Futures - Healthy, engaged students & educators

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Working together for our students to be successful, our school employees to be engaged and energized, and our communities to thrive and be healthy.

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The issue of child abuse and neglect is an important topic to me as I have had students in my care and family members experience unfortunate events surrounding this topic. In both circumstances, the children were removed from the home. However, each case was handled very differently and I am curious about the reasoning behind the decisions made in each case. I would like to know about the responsibilities of an abuse reporter as well as what things are done to reunite families while preventing future abuse.

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Angelo State University - Library Online Resources

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Unauthorized use is prohibited; Usage may be subject to security testing and monitoring; Misuse is subject to criminal prosecution; No expectation of privacy except as otherwise provided by applicable privacy laws.

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Reunifying Families - Child Welfare Information Gateway

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The following resources offer an array of practices and strategies that support family reunification efforts in child welfare, including State and local examples.

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Child abuse and neglect is something that should be at the forefront of all educators minds. They interact with children and adolescents daily and should be mindful of their students behaviors as they look for warning signs of abuse or neglect. Educators could be the first line of defense in preventing or stopping abuse and neglect and are required by law to report any suspicion of abuse or neglect (Lambie, 2005).

Some counselors may experience anxiety when facing this ethical obligation. However, studying signs and symptoms of abuse and preparing oneself in what to look for and how to handle situations appropriately may relieve some of that anxiety. Relief may also come from understanding that no legal action can be taken against a person who is acting with reasonable suspicion that a child's safety is at risk (Lambie, 2005).

When a child is removed from their home, the goal is to eventually reunite the family when possible. Steps are taken to prevent future abuse and families are provided with resources to help them recover from such an event. Services are provided for families, including victims and abusers, based on individual needs and circumstances. When families are reunited, abuse is no longer an imminent threat and plans are in place to prevent re-occurrences ("Reunifying Families," n.d.)

As a future school counselor, I will need to be prepared to report cases of abuse while still providing care and support for my students. I will need to remain professional while keeping my emotions and feelings about the situation to myself. I may feel a certain amount of anger toward the abusers but will need to stay professional and be careful to not express that anger while I continue to work with the student and their family.

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Lambie, G. W. (2005, February). Child abuse and neglect: A practical guide for professional school counselors. Professional School Counseling 8(3). Retrieved from Porter Henderson Library online database.

Reunifying Families. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.childwelfare.gov/topics/permanency/reunification/