Expert weighs in on what parents can do to support kids affected by teacher’s arrest
RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. (KESQ) – A private school teacher is facing multiple child sex charges after being arrested at his Yucca Valley home on Tuesday.
While the teacher, 43-year-old Stephen Spurlock, has not been convicted, events like his arrest can be a difficult topic to navigate for parents and their children.
"It's hard because then everything they ever did that could have been good gets painted bad. Was this interaction suspect? Was this suspect? And they repaint every moment, every time, every comment," says Dr. Matt Larsen, a Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist.
Dr. Larsen says the best thing that parents can do when approaching their children about topics like these is to remind them they're not responsible for others' actions.
He also says you should show your children that you can help them handle the situation without a big, emotional reaction.
"They need to see their parents don't have a big emotional reaction [that is] over the top or out of control, because then they learn, ‘I can't talk to my parent about that, they will overreact,'" Dr. Larsen explains.
Palm Valley School writes in a statement to News Channel Three:
"Yesterday afternoon, the Interim Head of School PVS was notified by the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Office (Morongo Basin Station) that Stephen Spurlock, a Palm Valley School third grade teacher, was arrested in San Bernardino County and charged with sex against a child. The Sheriff's office confirmed the incident did not involve a Palm Valley Student, nor did it occur on Palm Valley School property.
Stephen Spurlock was immediately placed on indefinite leave.
In adherence to our commitment to child protection and accreditation standards, Palm Valley School maintains a stringent policy mandating background checks for all individuals working in proximity to students. We emphasize our steadfast dedication to the safety of children, and this commitment remains unwavering.
We extend our gratitude to law enforcement authorities for their diligence in this matter. The well-being and safety of our students are paramount. We are focused on supporting our students, families, faculty, and staff at this time. We will continue to take all necessary measures to support our community and cooperate with law enforcement."
Francene Fisher, Interim Head of School at Palm Valley School
Dr. Larsen says parents and children should be ready to speak about these topics.
"We can train our kids how to avoid it and we can train all of us how to handle it better when it happens so it doesn't traumatize us forever."
