Sex abuse hotline proposed in schools

PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) - Portsmouth councilman Bill Moody told WAVY.com he wants a hotline for children to report alleged sexual abuse in the schools.

"I would like for it to be implemented and ready to go when the school bell rings for the new year," he said. He'd like it set up similar the Crime Line.

"We can send a message to our administrators, our faculty, to the world if you may, that when children are in the Portsmouth Public Schools, they're going to be in a safe environment and not feel threatened by anyone."

The councilman points to recent accusations by students against four school employees. He admitted students are in school to study, learn and not have their lives tainted by a traumatic experience.

Councilman Steve Heretick told WAVY.com, "The school system has already a number of different hotlines that parents and students can use for exactly this purpose but we have different technical modalities. Today, they can text, they can e-mail and certainly I think anything we can do to help make our kids safer is something we have to do."

The phone numbers for the schools are as follows:   

• Churchland Middle and High Schools, 757-393-8372
• Waters Middle and Norcom High Schools, 757-393-8434
• Craddock Middle and Wilson High Schools, 757-393-8498.