Erin's Law
Over the past several years, many states — including Illinois — have passed laws to help protect children and raise awareness about child sexual abuse. You may know this law as Erin’s Law, named after Erin Merryn, who has worked to promote child safety across the country.
Erin’s Law requires schools to provide age-appropriate lessons that teach students about personal body safety and sexual abuse prevention. These lessons may include discussions, activities, short videos, and role-play scenarios designed for each grade level.
The goal of these lessons is to give students the knowledge and tools they need to stay safe, while creating a supportive and caring environment where children feel comfortable speaking up if they ever need help.
The lessons presented to our students meet the requirements of Erin’s Law and will focus on the following concepts:
- Safe and unsafe touch
- The “Ask First Rule” (Example: Asking parents/guardians before going to a friend’s house.)
- How to say “No” and tell a trusted adult
Through this program aimed at educating and empowering students, we want to provide your child with knowledge and skills to keep themselves safe.
District 6 believes that all of our students benefit from participating in this program.
Prior to this instruction, families will receive advance notice of the lesson content and timing. Instructional materials will be posted for parents' and guardians' review. Parents and guardians have the right to review the materials and may choose to opt their child out of participating in this specific instruction. Information on how to opt out will be included in the notification.
Resources
For further details about Erin’s Law lessons or any questions, please reach out to your child’s school.
Additional parent/guardian resources can also be found at www.erinslaw.org.