A fourth grade teacher adopted a practice of asking students to journal when they finished their assigned work and were waiting for their classmates to finish. Early in the year the teacher collected the journals one time to get an idea of what they were journaling.One child's journal contained the following entry.

"Dear Mrs. M. My mom abuses me for little things, like once when we had to go to Mother Goose my baby sister's school), my school clothes were in the back and F.. (my half sister) got in back and I started to pound light on the window.My Mom told me to get in the front and I did...

Then she started hitting me and punching me, screaming at me... Then she grabbed the bag of my school supplies and threw them up to me and grabbed my school clothes and threw the school clothes with her hand behind them, and since her hand was behind the clothes and purposely punched me in the gut." WARNING! BUT WHATEVER YOU DO, DON'T TELL MY MOM."

The teacher asked the student about the entry, but the student appeared to lack any emotion talking about it, which raised doubt in the teacher's mind that the story was true. The teacher said to the student, oh your Mom.When the teacher inquired further, the student said she had just made the story up.

Discussion Question

1. Is this a situation that requires a report to be made? Select one of the options below, and state it in your response.

A. Definitely Report

B. Probably Report

C. Up in the Air About Reporting

D. Wouldn't Report at this time

Then provide a detailed explanation of what leads you to that conclusion based on your analysis of the scenario. In addition to your analysis of the facts of the scenario, identify any secondary practical, situational, or legal factors that would influence your decision to report or not report in this situation and why it is a consideration.