Teachers more likely to commit sex crimes than priests

The priest sex abuse report in Pennsylvania reveals the extent of the problem - and points to many  failures.

Failures by priests. By seminary rectors. By bishops. By parish staffs. By lay people who turned their heads.

Most of these offenses took place years - decades - ago, and some dioceses have improved how they deal with the problem, screen seminarians better, and weed out the offending priests quickly and more publicly. Though, sadly, not all.

One child molested is too many. There is no excuse for what happened.

We hold clergy to higher standard that we do others in society.

Still, as bad as the priest problem is, there are worse situations.

Take the situation with teachers, another profession held to a high standard by the public. Studies show that teachers are MORE LIKELY to commit sexual offenses than priests.

The offenses are less homosexual in nature than are the priests' offenses, but they are still offenses.

There was a major a government study of the issue.

Charol Shakeshaft , who prepared the 2004 report, later said, "[T]hink the Catholic Church has a problem? The physical sexual abuse of students in schools is likely more than 100 times the abuse by priests."

Here's the report address: https://www2.ed.gov/rschstat/research/pubs/misconductreview/report.pdf

Pax et bonum