OPINION — When allegations of misconduct surface inside a school system, the public reaction is often immediate and familiar: “How did administrators not know?” In many cases, the more accurate question is whether warning signs were overlooked, minimized or normalized over time. The reality is that harmful behavior rarely appears without context.
Schools, like any institution, can become conditioned to ignore patterns when the individual involved is well-liked, highly effective or deeply trusted.
Among the biggest misconceptions surrounding sexual misconduct is the belief that there is a single identifiable “profile” of someone who commits these acts. Offenders come from every demographic background, profession and social status.
