Comprehensive report on child abuse published, but specific failures in Coach Smith case remain unclear

The foundation's description of the impetus for its investigation directly contradicts a statement from Government House announcing the release of the report. In that statement, Governor Albert Bryan Jr. stressed that the investigation was “not related to any specific case or event” but was simply part of the government's “ongoing commitment to protecting the territory's youth and ensuring accountability within the school system.”

Aside from the discrepancies in origin, the 21-page report contains some key findings, most notably that “the small, close-knit island community created a context in which professionals and students did not feel safe to raise their concerns.” Respondents said they had concerns about confidentiality and viewed the risk of retaliation or leaking of personal information as barriers to reporting. A complex web of other factors includes deficiencies at the legislative, municipal, district, school, professional and family levels.

“Child protection laws do not reflect current best practices,” the report said. The normalized use of corporal punishment – a form of physical discipline used to correct or control behavior – also contributes to the difficulty of detecting and disclosing abuse, investigators found. A lack of information sharing and coordination among relevant authorities exacerbates the problem, as does the lack of “youth-friendly” ways to report abuse and the absence of centralized reporting mechanisms for child abuse.

There is also a training gap among counselors and other school staff. Likewise, the lack of established, consistent policies in public schools makes reporting difficult. As a result, “youths experience abuse that goes unrecognized by school staff and unknown to child protection authorities,” the study found.

The report includes eight key recommendations aimed at improving the detection and reporting of potential child abuse to the Department of Human Services and protecting students from abuse in the first place.

First, agencies must develop clear policies and guidelines for referring suspected cases of child abuse to DHS. A unified hotline and online reporting tool should be established, preferably operated by DHS. The role of the school counselor in the process of identifying and reporting child abuse or neglect must be clarified. Any positive behavior interventions and supports (PBIS) model used in schools must be trauma-informed and involve counselors, the reviewers recommend.

This is “an opportunity for VIDE to improve classroom management while also improving staff skills regarding abuse and neglect,” the report said. Communication between VIDE and DHS needs to be improved, and additional safeguards are needed to protect students, including education about bodily autonomy and guidelines on how and when adult staff can be alone with students.

Aside from this comprehensive investigation by the Praed Foundation, there has yet to be any discussion of the specific reporting deficiencies that allowed Coach Smith to exploit young students at Charlotte Amalie High School for years despite rumors circulating and concerns raised by parents. It is currently unclear if a separate investigation into the specifics of this matter will be conducted.