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Erin’s Law Activities for Primary Students

I’ve written before about the Erin’s Law or sexual abuse lessons I’ve used with 3rd grade using Some Secrets Should Never Be Kept and with 4th grade using The Kid Trapper . While these lessons are not fun and they are not as applicable to the school setting (though I’d argue consent still is!), they are monumentally important. Today I’m sharing some Erin’s Law activities for primary students – things you can use when teaching protective behaviors to Kindergarten, 1st grade, and 2nd grade. While I usually advocate for engaging multi-part lessons, my co-counselor and I always felt like keeping things super simple was best for these.

Books to Help Discuss Erin’s Law

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Your Body Belongs to You is such a clear and wonderful start to an Erin’s Law lesson with K/1. It clearly explains that sometimes we like to be touched and sometimes we don’t and that’s okay. The book shows being assertive when someone is touching you and you don’t like it. It explains that we have private parts that shouldn’t be touched (except in certain circumstances) and how important it is to tell an adult if someone touches you in that way.

My Body Belongs to Me is another great one that we used in Kindergarten – actually right after Your Body Belongs to You. It is very simple and tells a story of a boy touched inappropriately by his uncle’s friend. Even though the man tells him to keep it a secret, he doesn’t. Telling his parents makes him feel better and he’s praised for doing the right thing.

I Said No! is spot on for 1st and 2nd grade. The character Zach teaches about what his mom has taught him about body safety, and also tells the story of a time he was touched inappropriately at a sleepover. I love that it talks about trusting your gut and that it specifically talks about some “tricks” that might be used (bribes, threats, etc.) My students really connected with the “red flag” and “green flag” concepts. My caveat about this book is that it is quite long and wordy. I highly recommend both skipping some sections and also including lots of opportunities for your students to participate (we did it through call and response).

My Body is Private is old but SO good. It’s clearly a “lesson” type book, not a real storyline, but it’s read from the perspective of a young girl sharing about conversations with her family members which makes it more engaging. It explains the concepts of privacy, of telling people “no” when we’re uncomfortable with they’re touching, the fact that it could be someone you know/love that touches you inappropriately, and the importance of disclosing if it happens. I wish so badly for an updated version of this book because I know it’s sepia outlined illustrations can be a block to engagement for some students. However, it is so wonderfully non-threatening yet clear that I still highly recommend it.

There are a couple of other books by Jayneen Sanders (who wrote Some Secrets Should Never Be Kept that I love) about consent and body safety. They are really developmentally appropriate and well written. That said, they are the kind of books I would use with my own children versus what I would use in a lesson. There are lots of stopping points for questions/discussion that wouldn’t flow as well in a lesson (in my opinion).

Erin’s Law Activities

One of the most important parts of planning any lesson, but especially an Erin’s Law/protective behaviors/sexual abuse lessons, is determining what knowledge and skills you hope your students develop. At our school, these were our objectives for these lessons:

• Understanding and believing it’s not okay for people to touch your private parts.
• Identifying 2+ safe adults to tell if it happens to you.
• Understanding that bribes and threats might occur.
• Understanding safe vs. unsafe secrets.
• Practicing saying “no” and “stop.”

Books on their own cover a lot of these objectives. We also sometimes practiced firmly (and loudly!) saying “No!” and “Stop!” And we did go arounds where students would name their safe adults.

Sometimes we also created basic worksheets for students to identify their safe adults and write examples of safe vs. unsafe secrets. My co-counselor did a movement-based activity where students stepped forward vs. backward depending on the type of secret.

One thing we didn’t do but my friend Laura ( Music City Counselor ) told me about was using visuals of kids wearing swimsuits in order to be clear about “private parts”. We both worked with large populations of English Language Learners and were always looking for ways to scaffold vocabulary and trickier concepts. I told myself the next time I served K/1st and did these lessons, I would make the visuals like she did (clipart swimsuit kids on popsicle sticks):

While we usually only did one personal safety lesson each year, there was one year where there were two stranger kidnappings that happened nearby. We decided to deliver, for the first time, a “stranger danger” lesson. We used Smarter Than the Scoopers and discovered some really great videos on a website called KidSmartz (the videos on the website didn’t work when I wrote this post but they have a YouTube channel they were available on) – here was one of our favorites:

The “Protect Yourself” Rules on YouTube also have good videos.

Do you have any favorite books, videos, or activities to use in these lessons? I’ve never gotten a chance to use the Second Step personal safety unit before, but I did look at the preK kit and it was wonderful . I’d love to hear about other great resources you’ve found!

• Filed Under: Personal Safety/Erin's Law , SEL Books/Bibliocounseling

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Do you have any free samples of actual lesson plans for k-5

Hello! I do not. I have lots of blog posts explaining/walking through many of them, and also there are very thorough previews on shop.theresponsivecounselor.com to show you details of what is included. I do not have any free downloadable lesson plans at this time.

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Erin’s Law – Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Toolkit

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Erin’s Law is named after childhood sex abuse survivor, Erin Merryn. After Erin introduced child sexual abuse prevention legislation in her home state of Illinois, the bill was named “Erin’s Law” after her by legislators and it has caught on nationwide. Illinois is the first state by law to mandate child sexual abuse prevention. Vermont state board of education required this in schools since 2009.

At least 35 states and the territory of Guam have enacted legislation requiring states to either study or develop age-appropriate child sexual abuse identification and prevention curricula for Pre-K through fifth, eighth or 12 th grades to help children, teachers and parents recognize and identify child sexual abuse. To learn more about the law and Erin’s story click  here .

Check out state-by-state legislation  here .

Tools to Implement Erin’s Law with Teens

Love Notes 3.0  is successfully being implemented in  Spartanburg County, South Carolina  by the  Mary  Black Foundation to meet the requirements of Erin’s Law. Read their case study .

Below is a video developed by the Mary Black Foundation to education young people about sexual abuse prevention, consent, and other risky sexual behaviors.

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Erin’s Law

Search darkness to light, erin’s law is named after erin merryn, a child sexual abuse survivor, author, speaker, and advocate..

Erin Merryn first introduced the legislation in Illinois, the first state to pass Erin’s Law and mandate child sexual abuse prevention. Now, Erin’s Law is in more than 37 states.

Erin’s Law  requires public school personnel and K-12 students to learn about child sexual abuse prevention.  Personnel curriculum must cover the warning signs of child sexual abuse  and mandated reporting ,  how to appropriately respond  to   disclosure ,   how to talk to parents, and how to  speak to  students about child sexual abuse prevention.   

Erin’s Law Requirements:

According to ErinsLaw.org , Erin’s Law requires that all public schools in each state implement a prevention-oriented child sexual abuse program that teaches:

• Students in grades preK-12th grade, age-appropriate techniques to recognize child sexual abuse and tell a trusted adult.
• School personnel all about child sexual abuse.
• Parents and guardians the warning signs of child sexual abuse, plus needed assistance, referral, or resource information to support sexually abused children and their families.

If you’re a school administrator, school counselor, social worker, parent, or other concerned citizen looking to implement programs to meet Erin’s Law, Darkness to Light has partnered with the Monique Burr Foundation for Children to bring you Prevent 360° which offers evidence-based curriculum for children and youth and evidence-informed curriculum for educators, parents, and caregivers.

Get Started Today!

Erin’s Law for Teachers & Erin’s Law for School Counselor:

School personnel identifies 52% of all identified child abuse cases classified as causing harm to the child, more than any other profession, including child protective services and the police. 1 Frequently, school districts that implement Erin’s Law are only passing the first part of the law and requiring students only to be trained. The above statistic shows the importance of educators and adults being educated in child sexual abuse prevention and recognition. When a teacher is a safe adult , they must be prepared to hear a child’s disclosure and know how to respond in an appropriate manner. Darkness to Light’s Stewards of Chlidren ® evidence-informed training teaches adults to prevent, recognize, and react responsibly to child sexual abuse.

Results of several evaluations of educators post-training clearly demonstrate the importance of training adults in Stewards of Children ®:

• 90% of teachers taking Stewards of Children ® training report that they are more willing to report suspicions of abuse after completing the program. 2
• 93% of teachers completing Stewards of Children ® training said they would be more likely to recognize signs of abuse. 2
• 88% of teachers report that they are more likely to talk to a child about child sexual abuse after completing Stewards of Children ® training. 2
• 91% of teachers taking Stewards of Children ® training would recommend it to colleagues. 2

Prevent 360° pairs child- and adult-focused curriculum so you can successfully comply with Erin’s Law.

Erin’s Law for Parents & Caregivers:

Knowing that one in 10 children will be sexually abused before their 18th birthday and that 90% of children who are victims of sexual abuse know their abuser, it’s vital that parents and caregivers are educated in child sexual abuse prevention. 3,4,5  It can be uncomfortable to talk to your kids about sex and sexual abuse, but it doesn’t have to be. It’s important to have open, honest, and age-appropriate conversations with kids about sex, boundaries, healthy relationships. By being a safe adult , a child can trust you to be there for them when they need help. Darkness to Light’s Stewards of Children ® teaches parents and caregivers to prevent, recognize, and react responsibly to child sexual abuse.

Erin's Law Requirements by State

Erin's law alabama - requirements | erin's law al.

House Bill 197   r equires   child sexual abuse prevention education for all public-school personnel and K-12 students. To learn more, click here .

Erin's Law California - Requirements | Erin's Law CA

Assembly Bill 2016 and  Assembly Bill 1058  allow and encourage  child sexual abuse prevention education  for public-school personnel  and  K-12 students. To learn more, click here .

Erin's Law Connecticut - Requirements | Erin's Law CT

Public Act No. 14-196 requires child sexual abuse prevention education for public-school teachers and K-12 students. To learn more, click here .

Erin's Law Illinois - Requirements | Erin's Law IL

Public Act 096-1524 requires child sexual abuse prevention education   for  public, non-public, and parochial – school  personnel and  K-12  students . To learn more, click here .

Erin's Law New York - Requirements | Erin's Law NY

Senate Bill 4070B requires child sexual abuse prevention education for K-8 public-school students . There is no requirement for personnel. To learn more, click here .

Erin's Law Ohio - Requirements | Erin's Law OH

There is currently no child sexual abuse prevention education legislation , however,  House Bill 321   is pending. To learn more, click here .

Erin's Law Oregon - Requirements | Erin's Law OR

Senate Bill 856 requires child sexual abuse prevention education for all public-school personnel and K-12 students. To learn more, click here .

Erin's Law Pennsylvania - Requirements | Erin's Law PA

A ct 71  a llows   education  about child exploitation for  public-school students K-8.   Child sexual a buse  is not specifically  covered. There is no  child sexual abuse prevention education mandate for  school  personnel. To learn more, click here .

Erin's Law Texas - Requirements | Erin's Law TX

House Bill 1041  r equires child sexual abuse education for licensed child – care facility staff,  public-school personnel ,  and K-12 students . To learn more, click here .

References:

Sedlak, andrea, et al. fourth national incidence study of child abuse and neglect (nis–4) . u.s. department of health and human services, administration for children and families, 2010, p. 16,   acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/documents/opre/nis4_report_congress_full_pdf_jan2010.pdf .    , townsend, c., haviland, m. (2016). the impact of child sexual abuse training for educators on reporting and victim outcomes: the texas initiative. charleston, s.c., darkness to light. retrieved from https://www.d2l.org/site/c.4dicijokgcise/b.9358399/k.5fec/efficacy_of_stewards.htm., rheingold, alyssa, & catherine townsend.  estimating a child sexual abuse prevalence rate   for practitioners : studies . darkness to light, 2013,  d2l.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/ prevalence-rate-white-paper -d2l.pdf ., finkelhor , david, & richard ormrod. “characteristics of crimes against juveniles.”  juvenile justice bulletin , 2000, p. 7,  scholars.unh.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgiarticle=1002&context=ccrc .  , whealin , julia. “child sexual abuse.”  u.s. department of veterans  affairs , 2007,    www.ptsd.va.gov/professional/treat/type/sexual_abuse_child.asp .  .

From now until April 30, you can play a vital role in fueling our efforts to prevent child sexual abuse through awareness, stigma reduction, and adult-focused education. Pledge your support today and help us Fund the Fight.

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January 8, 2016

Topic: Student Learning

Erin’s Law, or Illinois Public Act 097-1147, requires public schools to provide child sexual abuse prevention education for children in pre-kindergarten through twelfth grades. More information on the CCSD21 curriculum and resources for parents can be found by clicking this link .

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Loveland city schools latest in ohio to enact abuse prevention training.

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Loveland City Schools are the latest to teach children to speak up about sexual abuse. "Erin's Law" requires schools to teach age-appropriate violence prevention to K-12 students.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 20 boys in the United States will experience child sexual abuse. But "Erin's Law" is working to change that statistic here in Ohio.

“It requires school districts serving students in grades K-12 to provide annually one hour of instruction and age-appropriate education on child sexual abuse prevention for K-6," said Dr. Stacy Puerta, the assistant superintendent of teaching and learning.

Loveland City School District has already started educating students. Instruction occurs throughout the school year and includes information on available counseling and resources for children who are sexually abused.

“I think when children are young, they just may not recognize some of those signs or they may think or feel uncomfortable about something, but think that it's normal,” Puerta said. “And so I think just sort of putting it out there if you feel something, say something to a trusted adult.”

The curriculum is tailored to the age of the students. It teaches them to recognize inappropriate behavior, what to do when you feel unsafe and ways to report it.

“Students come to us with variety of backgrounds and I feel like it's our responsibility to just to make sure that we're at least scratching the surface,” Puerta said.

Puerta says parents can request the curriculum and opt their children out of the education.

“Most of the ones who reached out requesting the curriculum, they were glad that we were doing it,” Puerta said. “They just wanted to preview it ahead of time so that they were able to address questions that their students might come home with after the presentations.”

Puerta says she's hopeful this new training will educate students so they feel safer in all of their environments.

“We want them to recognize that when they don't feel safe, that it's okay,” Puerta said. “Go tell somebody and talk to a trusted adult so that we can investigate and make sure that, you know, we're able to support them.”

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Married nebraska teacher, 45, caught naked in car with 17-year-old student — who makes a run for it in his underwear.

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A Nebraska substitute teacher was caught naked in a car with a teen student — who tried to flee but crashed and ran from the scene in his underwear, cops said.

Erin Ward, 45, was scooped up Saturday night after she was found in the buff with a 17-year-old male student from the Omaha high school where she taught, according to the Douglas County Sheriff’s Department.

Police caught up with the married sub after receiving a call about a suspicious car parked on a dead end at about 3 a.m. that night.

Deputies found two people in the backseat, WOWT reported, before the panicked teen scrambled to the front seat and took off driving.

About two blocks later, he wrecked the car before running into the night.

Ward remained at the scene dressing in the back of the car and allegedly confessed to having sex with the boy.

She had an ID from Omaha Public Schools with her, and admitted to substituting at various schools including Burke High School, where the boy was later identified as a student, KLKN reported .

He was found later that night hiding in a yard wearing only underwear and a T-shirt.

The car they were found in belonged to Ward and her spouse.

Ward was charged with felony sexual abuse by a school employee.

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For Parents

As a parent you have probably talked to your child about strangers. Reality is over 90% of the time children are being abused by someone they know and trust. You teach your kids to look both ways when crossing the street. Yet many parents do not talk to their children about personal body safety. Your children are more likely to be molested then hit by a car.

When should you start talking to your kids about personal body safety? As early as the age of two. A good time to do this is when bathing your toddler. Explain to them their private parts and that nobody should touch them their unless it is mommy or daddy helping to clean them. An age appropriate concept for a young child to understand is that nobody including a parent or caregiver – should see or touch their private parts unless they’re keeping them clean, safe, or healthy. A great way to explain this is the areas covered by your swimsuit. A great book to have this discussion is called The Swimsuit Lesson By Jon Holsten.

Talk to your child about trusting their intution. That feeling in your tummy that something doesn’t seem right likely isn’t. Even if nothing has happened empower your child that they can leave a situation and find another safe adult. That might mean calling someone if they are alone with only one adult making them feel uneasy.

Abusers almost always tell a child to keep it a secret. They may tell them they will be in trouble if they tell anyone. Get across to your child you will not be in trouble. That this is not their fault. Abusers can threaten children to stay silent by saying they will hurt them or someone in their family. Let your child know no matter what they have been told you don’t keep this is a secret. You will be protected once you report it. Teach them the differences between safe and unsafe secrets. Give them a few examples. Grandma’s susprise birthday party. The bike your brother is getting for Christmas. Then explain unsafe secrets. Someone touching you in your private parts. A friend being bullied on the school bus that tells you not to tell anyone. Your friend who tells you her stepdad takes pictures of her naked. Give them several examples.

Next talk to your kids about safe and unsafe touches. Giving them examples. Giving your parent a hug. Giving your teacher a high five. Then give them examples of unsafe touches. Someone putting their hands down their pants or up their shirt. Classmate kicking them at recess. Brother pulling their hair.

Never force your children to give people hugs and kisses. Let them make that decision. They need to be empowered and know they are the boss of their bodies. A good book to read on touching is The RIght Touch by Sandy Kleven

Do not just have this conversation about personal body safety once with your child. This needs to be ongoing discussion. I recommend discussing this every six months with your children.

Warning Signs of an Abused Child

• Trouble sleeping
• Bed wetting
• Change in appetite
• Fear of certain people, places, activites
• Mood swings: Rage, Anger, Fear, anxiety, insecure or withdrawn
• Feeling shameful or guilty
• Isolating oneself
• Withdrawl from someone
• Resisting removing clothes when appropriate times (bedtime, bathtime)
• Change in academics
• Running away from home
• Suicidal thoughts
• Acting out sexually
• Exhibits adult sexual behaviors, knowledge, and language.

Signs more common in Adolescents

• Eating Disorders
• Self Injury
• Drug and Alcohol Abuse
• Promiscuous activity
• Running away
• Depression and Anxiety
• Academic problems

Signs of an adult who may be sexually abusing your child

• Giving a child special attention
• Trying to spend a lot of time alone with a child
• Buying child expensive gifts or giving them money
• Treating a child as a “favorite” from other children
• Physical affection towards child: Kissing, hugging, holding hands, or wanting to be very close to a child.

If a child discloses abuse

• Listen to the child
• Let them know they did the right thing by telling
• Tell them this is not their fault
• Say you believe them
• Let child know they are safe now and won’t be hurt again
• Report abuse immediately to police
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Berkeley Law Student Protests at Dean’s House: How Experts and Advocates Are Reacting

T he University of California at Berkeley has long been known as a hub of social activism, and Erwin Chemerinsky, the dean of its law school since 2017 and a renowned constitutional law expert, has been a staunch proponent of the First Amendment rights of protesters. Earlier this week Chemerinsky, who is Jewish, was the subject of posters depicting a caricature of him that he later said he believed to be “deeply offensive” and “blatant antisemitism” but that he also believed had a right to be displayed as protected speech.

It may then have come as a surprise to Chemerinsky that just days later he would be at the center of the latest flashpoint in a heated ongoing debate about free speech on American college campuses amid tensions over the war in Gaza—with activists accusing him of stifling their expression.

Controversy erupted after video was shared online of Chemerinsky and his wife, law professor Catherine Fisk, confronting a Muslim law student, Malak Afaneh, who disrupted an event on Tuesday in their back yard to make a pro-Palestinian speech. She wanted the school to withdraw investments of its endowment in companies that allegedly support Israel. Chemerinsky was hosting about 60 graduate students for an unrelated dinner when the incident occurred. “Please leave our house,” Chemerinsky angrily pleaded to Afaneh. “You’re guests at our house,” he said. Fisk could be seen touching Afaneh and trying to grab her microphone.

The incident soon went viral from clips spread on social media that collectively garnered over 10 million views across various platforms, including a widely-shared one with a caption that said: “On the last day of Ramadan, UC Berkeley professor assaults a hijabi.”

Catherine Fisk, a professor at Berkeley Law, ASSAULTS a Muslim Hijabi law student, while her husband Erwin Chemerinsky, DEAN of Berkeley Law screams LEAVE OUR HOUSE. In the end, violent white supremacists with fancy degrees. These elite institutions are 🤬 cc: bayareapym pic.twitter.com/leocbbxhWj — saira rao 🍉 (@sairasameerarao) April 10, 2024

In other footage, according to the Los Angeles Times , Fisk could be heard saying, “We agree with you about what’s going on in Palestine.” As Afaneh and several other students were seen leaving the place, one of them asked, “Then what have you done about divestment? Nothing. Nothing”—to which Fisk replied, “We don’t control the investment.”

The controversy that ensued has since drawn sharp reactions from those at the center of the incident, including Chemerinsky and Afaneh, as well as a number of legal experts, advocates, and organizations weighing in on the matter.

Here’s what they’ve had to say.

Erwin Chemerinsky

In a statement published on the Berkeley Law website, Chemerinsky said that he and his wife had been inviting students to their home for dinner since he became a dean. “I never imagined that something that we do to help our community would become ugly and divisive,” he said. “I am enormously sad that we have students who are so rude as to come into my home, in my backyard, and use this social occasion for their political agenda.”

In an interview on CNN , Chemerinsky elaborated on why he thinks he was the target of such a protest, explaining that he has no control over the investments of the University of California and claiming that he’s “said nothing in support of what Netanyahu is doing in Israel … so it’s hard for me to see any reason why they were coming after me other than I was Jewish.”

Chemerinsky has not said whether he would pursue disciplinary action against Afaneh, but he told legal journalist David Lat that, if he does, it would remain confidential.

U.C. Berkeley

University Chancellor Carol Christ, who is leaving the position at the end of June, said in an emailed statement cited by media outlets that she was “appalled and deeply disturbed” by the events at Chemerinsky’s dinner. “While our support for Free Speech is unwavering, we cannot condone using a social occasion at a person’s private residence as a platform for protest,” she said.

Dan Mogulof, a University spokesperson, told NBC that he could not comment on whether legal or disciplinary action would be taken against Afaneh, Chemerinsky, or Fisk.

Malak Afaneh and her supporters

Afaneh, a leader of the group Berkeley Law Students for Justice in Palestine, said in a statement that “Fisk’s assault was a symbol of the deeper Islamophobia, anti-Palestinian racism and religious discrimination that runs rampant within the UC administration.” 

“I was attacked not only for speaking about Palestine but also because I was a Muslim woman who dared to wear a hijab and a keffiyeh and speak in my native tongue of Arabic, equating my identity with something that should be feared and someone who deserved to be silenced,” the statement continued.

“I was not attacked because I was speaking about Palestine,” Afaneh told KQED . “Quite to the contrary, I was attacked because I was simply a Muslim woman wearing a hijab and a keffiyeh in her home.”

Berkeley Law Students for Justice in Palestine supported Afaneh in a statement on Instagram: “As students at UC Berkeley, we unequivocally condemn the use of force against the brave Palestinian, visibly Muslim student who wanted to peacefully speak about Ramadan.”

Other pro-Palestinian groups have also defended Afaneh and criticized what they allege was inappropriate suppression of her rightful advocacy.

The National Students for Justice in Palestine said in a statement on X that it was “unacceptable” for the school to “host an official Ramadan event at the private home of Islamaphobic faculty members.” It added: “Hosting such an event off-campus intentionally muddles the line between the private/public sphere & thus functions to quell student protest.”

And the Berkeley Faculty and Staff for Justice in Palestine group posted on Instagram that it was “united in solidarity with Malak” and condemned “the violent and racist actions” of Chemerinsky and Fisk.

Rights and civic advocacy organizations

Zahra Billoo, executive director of the San Francisco Bay Area office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-SFBA), where Afaneh also works as a clerk, said in a statement that “Students at UC Berkeley have reported being targeted and harassed for their Palestine advocacy for many months now, not just by fellow students but also faculty and administrators.” 

“It is concerning to see [Chemerinsky’s] and Professor Fisk’s violent response to a student speaking out against the Israeli genocide in Palestine,” Billoo said.

Both CAIR-SFBA and Berkeley Law Students for Justice in Palestine have urged the public to send template emails calling for disciplinary proceedings against Fisk and the resignations of both Chemerinsky and Fisk, respectively.

The National Lawyers Guild, a legal advocacy group which Afaneh cited during the incident, also condemned the couple’s actions. “Physical force in response to the exercise of the right to dissent through speech is never acceptable, and is especially outrageous when condoned by a renowned legal scholar and educator,” it said in a statement posted on X. “The NLG expresses full support to this courageous law student who asserted her right to free speech by choosing to speak truth to power at a school-sanctioned event.”

Meanwhile, the American Jewish Committee (AJC) said on X that college campuses have been experiencing for months “disruptive anti-Israel protests” that target students for “abuse and even violence.”

“Now, they’ve targeted UC Berkeley Dean Erwin Chemerinsky in his home,” AJC said. “This is not free speech; it’s an infringement on the freedoms and dignity of Jews, both on and off campus, and it must stop.”

The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), which advocates for civil liberties especially on college campuses, shared its disapproval of Tuesday’s dinner protest in a post on X : “Peaceful protest on public campuses is protected speech. Disruptive protest and trespassing on private property is not. The First Amendment doesn’t protect seriously disrupting events on public college campuses, much less at someone’s backyard dinner party.”

Legal scholars

The incident has sparked discussions and even some disagreement among legal experts and commentators about whether students had the right to protest on Chemerinsky’s private property on Tuesday—and if he was right to stop them.

Eugene Volokh, a law professor at UCLA and renowned civil liberties scholar, argued that students did not have a constitutional right to protest at Chemerinsky’s home. “When government buildings aren’t opened up for public speech, people don’t have a First Amendment [right] to give speeches there,” he wrote on his legal blog, The Volokh Conspiracy. “And that is likewise true for private homes, even when they have public law school parties hosted there.”

While some have claimed that Fisk and Chemerinsky had the authority to use “ reasonable force ” to eject an unwelcome guest from their home, New York University law professor Rob Howse posted on X that he believed Chemerinsky and Fisk “mishandled the situation.” Noting that not all the details were totally clear, he said: “As legal academics, we need to look at these incidents and ask what kind of response reflects good professionalism in the academy. Escalating to physical confrontation in this scenario does not, in my view.”

Jameel Jaffer, the executive director of the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University, posted on X that “the commandeering of the dinner was bound to backfire, and there’s no serious argument it was protected by the First Amendment.” Jaffer described the entire episode as “very sad,” concluding that it was “a mistake for students to vilify Chemerinsky” and that “there has to be a more constructive way of engaging with him.”

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Substitute teacher allegedly caught having sex with student who fled from car 'wearing no clothes' as cops approached

A woman identified as Erin Ward allegedly sexually abused a 17-year-old high school student at the school where she worked (photo provided by Douglas County Sheriff’s Office)

A Nebraska substitute teacher is in jail after allegedly being more or less caught in the act of sexually abusing a high school student in the back seat of a vehicle over the weekend, authorities say.

Erin Ward, 45, stands accused of one count of felony sexual abuse by a school employee, according to the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office.

The teacher allegedly admitted to the crime after a hectic series of events, including a failed getaway, according to law enforcement.

Just before 3 a.m. on Saturday morning, the sheriff’s office received a call about a suspicious vehicle near the end of a dead-end road in the Elkhorn neighborhood on the far-flung western edge of Omaha. Sheriff’s deputies arrived sometime later and approached the gray 2015 Honda Pilot parked near North 189th Street.

As the deputies made their way toward the mid-size SUV, they noticed two people in the back seat, according to a press release issued later on Saturday. One of the two “quickly accessed” the front driver’s side seat and put the vehicle in motion. The Honda nearly just as quickly crashed, however, into a yard roughly two blocks north.

“The driver, a teenage male, fled on foot wearing no clothes,” the sheriff’s office said in the press release. “He was not initially located.”

Meanwhile, the other person in the SUV stayed behind. Law enforcement identified her as Ward, and said she “was now putting her clothes on in the back seat” when deputies made contact with her.

After deputies allegedly located an Omaha Public School employee identification card in the vehicle, the defendant allegedly told the deputies that she was employed as a substitute teacher at nearby Burke High School “and other metro Omaha area schools.”

Ward allegedly admitted to having sex with the boy, who she identified as 17 years old — and a student at Burke, the sheriff’s office claims.

Law enforcement said the SUV is owned by Ward “and her spouse.”

The boy was found at around 4 a.m., according to the sheriff’s office. He was allegedly “wearing only boxers, a t-shirt and socks.”

Both Ward and the teen received minor injuries in the car crash.

“The victim was transported to a safe place to receive care and be interviewed,” the sheriff’s office press release continues.

According to Douglas County Jail records, Ward is still being detained as of this writing. Her first name is either misspelled as “Eri” in jail records or misspelled as “Erin” in the sheriff’s office press release.

On Sunday, Omaha Public Schools addressed the allegations in a statement obtained by Omaha-based ABC affiliate KETV .

“We are writing to share that law enforcement has arrested a metro-area substitute teacher for inappropriate conduct with a minor,” Burke High Principal Darren Rasmussen wrote. “The individual worked at Burke High several days during the 2023-24 school year. They will not be returning to our school or any others in our district.”

Law&Crime reached out to the Douglas County Court for additional details on this case but no response was immediately forthcoming at the time of publication.

The investigation is said to be ongoing.

Ward faces a maximum sentence of up to 20 years in state prison if she is convicted as presently charged.

The post Substitute teacher allegedly caught having sex with student who fled from car ‘wearing no clothes’ as cops approached first appeared on Law & Crime .

2024 federal budget's key takeaways: Housing and carbon rebates, students and sin taxes

Budget sees nearly $53b in new spending over the next 5 years.

What's in the new federal budget?

Social sharing.

Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland today tabled a 400-page-plus budget her government is pitching as a balm for anxious millennials and Generation Z.

The budget proposes $52.9 billion in new spending over five years, including $8.5 billion in new spending for housing. To offset some of that new spending, Ottawa is pitching policy changes to bring in new revenue.

Here are some of the notable funding initiatives and legislative commitments in budget 2024.

Ottawa unloading unused offices to meet housing targets

One of the biggest pillars of the budget is its housing commitments. Before releasing the budget, the government laid out what it's calling Canada's Housing Plan — a pledge to "unlock" nearly 3.9 million homes by 2031.

The government says two million of those would be net new homes and it believes it can contribute to more than half of them. 

It plans to do that by:

• Converting underused federal offices into homes. The budget promises $1.1 billion over ten years to transform 50 per cent of the federal office portfolio into housing.
• Building homes on Canada Post properties. The government says the 1,700-plus Canada Post offices across the country can be used to build new homes while maintaining postal services. The federal government says it's assessing six Canada Post properties in Quebec, Alberta and British Columbia for development potential "as a start."
• Rethinking National Defence properties. The government is promising to look at redeveloping properties and buildings on National Defence lands for military and civilian use.
• Building apartments. Ottawa is pledging a $15 billion top-up to the Apartment Construction Loan Program, which says it will build 30,000 new homes across Canada.

Taxing vacant land?

As part of its push on housing, the federal government also says it's looking at vacant land that could be used to build homes.

It's not yet committing to new measures but the budget says the government will consider introducing a new tax on residentially zoned vacant land. 

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The government said it plans to launch consultations on the measure later this year.

Help for students 

There's also something in the budget for students hunting for housing.

The government says it will update the formula used by the Canada Student Financial Assistance Program to calculate housing costs when determining financial need, to better reflect the cost of housing in the current climate.

The government estimates this could deliver more aid for rent to approximately 79,000 students each year, at an estimated cost of $154.6 million over five years.

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The government is also promising to extend increased student grants and interest-free loans, at an estimated total cost of $1.1 billion this year.

Increase in taxes on capital gains

To help cover some of its multi-billion dollar commitments, the government is proposing a tax hike on capital gains — the profit individuals make when assets like stocks and second properties are sold.

The government is proposing an increase in the taxable portion of capital gains, up from the current 50 per cent to two thirds for annual capital gains over $250,000. 

New investment to lead 'housing revolution in Canada,' Freeland says

Freeland said the change would impact the wealthiest 0.1 per cent.

There's still some protection for small businesses. There's been a lifetime capital gains exemption which allows Canadians to exempt up to $1,016,836 in capital gains tax-free on the sale of small business shares and farming and fishing property. This June the tax-free limit will be increased to $1.25 million and will continue to be indexed to inflation thereafter, according to the budget.

The federal government estimates this could bring in more than $19 billion over five years, although some analysts are not convinced.

Disability benefit amounts to $200 per month 

Parliament last year passed the Canada Disability Benefit Act, which promised to send a direct benefit to low-income, working-age people with disabilities. 

Budget 2024 proposes funding of $6.1 billion over six years, beginning this fiscal year, and $1.4 billion per year ongoing, for a new Canada Disability Benefit.

Advocates had been hoping for something along the lines of $1,000 per month per person . They'll be disappointed.

According to the budget document, the maximum benefit will amount to $2,400 per year for low income individuals with disabilities between the ages of 18 and 64 — about $200 a month.

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The government said it plans for the Canada Disability Benefit Act to come into force in June 2024 and for payments to start in July 2025.

Carbon rebate for small businesses coming 

The federal government has heard an earful from small business advocates who accuse it of reneging on a promise to return a portion of carbon pricing revenues to small businesses to mitigate the tax's economic costs.

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The budget proposes to return fuel charge proceeds from 2019-20 through 2023-24 to an estimated 600,000 businesses with 499 or fewer employees through a new refundable tax credit.

The government said this would deliver $2.5 billion directly to Canada's small- and medium-sized businesses.

Darts and vape pods will cost more 

Pitching it as a measure to cut the number of people smoking and vaping, the Liberals are promising to raise revenues on tobacco and smoking products.

• Just Asking  wants to know:   What questions do you have about quitting smoking or vaping? Do you think sin taxes will encourage smoking cessation?  Fill out the details on  this form  and send us your questions ahead of our show on April 20.

Starting Wednesday, the total tobacco excise duty will be $5.49 per carton. The government estimates this could increase federal revenue by $1.36 billion over five years starting in 2024-25.

The budget also proposes to increase the vaping excise duty rates by 12 per cent effective July 1. That means an increase of 12 to 24 cents per pod, depending on where you live. 

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Ottawa hopes this increase in sin taxes will bring in $310 million over five years, starting in 2024-25.

More money for CBC 

Heritage Minister Pascale St-Onge has mused about redefining the role of the public broadcaster before the next federal election . But before that happens, CBC/Radio-Canada is getting a top-up this year. 

The budget promises $42 million more in 2024-25 for CBC/Radio-Canada for "news and entertainment programming." CBC/Radio-Canada received about $1.3 billion in total federal funding last year.

The government says it's doing this to ensure that Canadians across the country, including rural, remote, Indigenous and minority language communities, have access to independent journalism and entertainment.

Last year, the CBC announced a financial shortfall, cut 141 employees and eliminated 205 vacant positions. In a statement issued Tuesday, CBC spokesperson Leon Mar said the new funding means the corporation can balance its budget "without significant additional reductions this year."

Boost for Canada's spy agency 

As the government takes heat over how it has handled the threat of foreign election interference, it's promising more money to bolster its spy service.

The Canadian Security Intelligence Service is in line to receive $655.7 million over eight years, starting this fiscal year, to enhance its intelligence capabilities and its presence in Toronto.

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The budget also promises to guarantee up to $5 billion in loans for Indigenous communities to participate in natural resource development and energy projects in their territories.

These loans would be provided by financial institutions or other lenders and guaranteed by the federal government, meaning Indigenous borrowers who opt in could benefit from lower interest rates, the budget says. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Catharine Tunney is a reporter with CBC's Parliament Hill bureau, where she covers national security and the RCMP. She worked previously for CBC in Nova Scotia. You can reach her at [email protected]

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