The recent arrest of a school bus driver in Hayfield, MN on charges of sexual misconduct had widespread repercussions in this city of approximately 1,300 people. Nearly 50 people, many of them concerned parents, attended a Child Safety Community Forum at Hayfield High School. The forum was organized due to the recent arrest of David Gerlach, a 49-year-old bus driver from Brownsdale, accused of various charges of sexual misconduct.

Gerlach was a bus driver for Hayfield Public Schools. On July 25, Gerlach was charged in Dodge District Court with felony third-degree criminal sexual conduct and attempted third-degree sexual conduct involving a child, who was at least sixteen years old at the time.

“On August 1, Mower County prosecutors filed a criminal complaint against Gerlach, charging him with 12 counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct, four counts of second-degree criminal sexual conduct, and one count of first-degree robbery. Mower County The complaint alleges that Gerlach committed incidents of sexual abuse between approximately 1993 and 2001 in Brownsdale, involving a boy who was 8 years old when the misconduct began.”

Tori Miller, a victim advocate at the Austin Crime Victims Resource Center, told the audience to “believe in your children.”

“Kids don’t normally make things up like this,” said Miller, one of 10 panelists at the forum. “It is very important that parents educate their children about good and bad touches, what is right and what is wrong.”

Tips to keep your child safe:

o Monitor your children’s activities, including Internet use and cell phone text messages.

o Introduce yourself to your child’s bus driver.

o Beware of adults who are too involved in your child’s life.

o Talk to your children about “good touch” and “bad touch.”

o Ask questions.

or “Follow your instinct.” Talk to school administrators and law enforcement officials if you suspect something is wrong.

While the tips set forth by this forum are effective, they fall short of what children need to know and exercise.

Sex offenders use acceptable physical contact to condition the child to be comfortable with their interactions. Thus, when the sexual offender senses that the child is comfortable and confident in the interaction, she progresses to ‘mistouching’, without warning. In an instant the child is sexually abused.

Most of the time, children have a sharper sixth sense than adults, that is, their sixth sense tells them that something is not right, their behavior is a little strange, there is an undercurrent. Allowing your child to exercise appropriate suspicion will, in most cases, be a protective barrier against potential sex offenders. If your child feels uncomfortable being around anyone, including the bus driver, please respect and honor your child’s sensitivities. Do what you have to do to protect your child from anyone he feels uncomfortable around. It is far better to err on the side of caution than to regret later.
Also, know the signs that your child is being attacked.

There is no foolproof prevention of child sexual abuse, because sex offenders are cunning predators who have honed their skills to get what they want. Therefore, pay attention and investigate any warning signs.

Warning signs include, but are not limited to:

o An aversion to an adult, even an adult your child knows and has seemed comfortable with up until now.

o Sudden outbursts of anger towards a person, event, activity, etc. and no apparent reason for such anger is known.

o Any unusual or unexplained behavioral changes.

o Not wanting to go to school on a particular day of the week, for example, the day gym or music class is held.

o Not wanting to ride the bus or be around a particular person.

o The gym teacher says your child is athletically ‘gifted’ and wants to develop your child’s athletic skills if your child practices one-on-one after school. He would never allow his son to be alone with someone who might have an ulterior motive.

o A teacher gives your child a present. A gift is sometimes a proposal to gain your trust and prepare your child for seduction.

Source: Bus driver case prompts parents to ask questions, 8/16/2007 10:20:54 am By Karen Colbenson, Post-Bulletin, Austin, MN