School Investigates Abuse Based on Psychic

According to several reports from Canadian news sources, a teaching assistant visited a [alleged] psychic. Normally no big deal (though odd). The [self proclaimed] psychic asks, "Do you have a student whose name starts with a V?" The teaching assistant says that she does indeed have a student named Victoria. The psychic [sic] says, "I knew it. By the way, she's being sexually abused by a man in his 20s... or 30s... or some other age."

Then the story gets weird. The school reports this to the Children's Aid Society. Odd that the psychic didn't know things like... I dunno... Victoria is autistic and your little charade-for-hire is going to devastate a few people.

Okay, no that my mocking of psychics is over, a few things to keep in mind. If an educator reasonably believes that there is some form of abuse, that suspicion must be reported (in Texas, within 24 hours). In Texas, a report can be filed with Child Protective Services over the phone or online. You can learn more about reporting through their website.

Now, obviously the professionals among us will ignore the [pseudo-] psychics. But, if you are a teacher reading this, and if you ever suspect abuse based on what you have seen or heard, I implore you to make a report. The report will give you an opportunity to explain if your suspicion is based on an unusual event or a pattern of behavior. But your report may be the first domino in getting a kiddo the help that he or she NEEDS. Make the report. Please. But not based on information from your [charlatan] psychic.