Erin’s Law

What is Erin’s Law?

Erin’s Law, or Illinois Public Act 097-1147, requires public schools to provide child sexual abuse prevention education for children in pre-kindergarten through twelfth grades.

How is Erin’s Law taught in CCSD21?

Age-appropriate instruction will help students recognize unsafe situations, keep themselves safe, and how to respond to unsafe situations. Common themes instructed at all grade levels include:

  • Identifying safe versus unsafe or unwanted touching
  • The Safety Rule About Touching (The Touching Rule): Private areas are not for others to touch, except to keep a child clean and healthy
  • 3 Safety Steps (Say “No!”, Get Away, Tell Someone)
  • Understanding the difference between good and bad secrets

Second Step Child Protection Units supplement the CCSD21 curriculum used in pre-kindergarten through 5th grades. The Second Step curriculum and supporting materials are used for sixth, seventh, and eighth grades.

Grade-specific critical content points and materials are also listed below. Click the grade level to expand the section.

Pre-Kindergarten

Critical Content

  • “Bathing suit” rule to identify private area
  • The Touching Rule
  • 3 Safety Steps
  • All adults know The Touching Rule
Materials Used

  • It’s My Body by Lory Freeman Britain
  • Mi cuerpo es mio by Lory Freeman Britain (translated by Lois B. Dunn)
  • Your Body Belongs To You by Corneila Maude Spelman & Teri Weidner
  • Do You Have a Secret? by Jennifer Moore-Mallinos & Marta Fabrega
  • ¿Tienes un Secreto? by Jennifer Moore-Mallinos & Marta Fabrega
  • Second Step Child Protection Units


Kindergarten

Critical Content

  • The Touching Rule
  • 3 Safety Steps
  • All adults know the touching rule
  • You have a right to say how and by whom you are touched
  • 3 grown ups you can tell
Materials Used

  • It’s My Body by Lory Freeman Britain
  • Mi cuerpo es mio by Lory Freeman Britain (translated by Lois B. Dunn)
  • Your Body Belongs To You by Corneila Maude Spelman & Teri Weidner
  • Do You Have a Secret? by Jennifer Moore-Mallinos & Marta Fabrega
  • ¿Tienes un Secreto? by Jennifer Moore-Mallinos & Marta Fabrega
  • Second Step Child Protection Units


First Grade

Critical Content

  • Safe/Unsafe touch
  • Secrecy
  • Recognition and reporting of abuse
  • The Touching Rule
  • 3 Safety Steps
Materials Used

  • Your Body Belongs To You Corneila by Maude Spelman & Teri Weidner
  • Do You Have a Secret? by Jennifer Moore-Mallinos & Marta Fabrega
  • ¿Tienes un Secreto? by Jennifer Moore-Mallinos & Marta Fabrega
  • Second Step Child Protection Units


Second Grade

Critical Content

  • Safe/Unsafe touch
  • Secrecy
  • Recognition and reporting of abuse
  • The Touching Rule
  • 3 Safety Steps
Materials Used

  • Do You Have a Secret? by Jennifer Moore-Mallinos & Marta Fabrega
  • ¿Tienes un Secreto? by Jennifer Moore-Mallinos & Marta Fabrega
  • Second Step Child Protection Units


Third Grade

Critical Content

  • Expanding understanding of private areas
  • “Appropriate” and “inappropriate” touches
  • Everyone has the right to tell others not to touch his/her body
  • How to report inappropriate touches to a trusted adult; language and examples of how to tell
  • It is not your fault if someone touches you in an inappropriate way
  • Additional ways to say “No”
  • Identification of 3 trusted adults to tell
  • Keep telling until someone believes you
  • Types of secrets and when to tell
  • “Grooming” – recognizing it (treats, bribes and threats)
  • Trusting uncomfortable feelings
Materials Used

  • Fred the Fox Shouts “No” by Tatiana Y. Kisil Matthews & Allison Fears
  • The Trouble With Secrets by Karen Johnsen & Linda Johnson Forssell
  • El Problema con los Secretos by Karen Johnsen and Linda Johnson Forssell
  • Second Step Child Protection Units


Fourth Grade

Critical Content

  • Safe and unsafe touches
  • How to say “No”
  • How and who to tell
  • What is a private part?
  • What is the touching rule?
  • 3 Safety Steps: Recognize, refuse, report
  • It’s not your fault, I believe you
Materials Used

  • Some Secrets Should Never Be Kept by Jayneen Sanders & Craig Smith
  • Algunos Secretos Nunca Se Deben Tener by Jayneen Sanders & Craig Smith
  • Second Step Child Protection Units


Fifth Grade

Critical Content

  • Safe and unsafe touches
  • How to say “No”
  • How and who to tell
  • What is a private part?
  • What is the touching rule?
  • 3 Safety Steps: Recognize, refuse, report
  • It’s not your fault, I believe you
Materials Used

  • Some Secrets Should Never Be Kept by Jayneen Sanders & Craig Smith
  • Algunos Secretos Nunca Se Deben Tener by Jayneen Sanders & Craig Smith
  • Second Step Child Protection Units


Sixth Grade

Critical Content

  • Definition of sexual abuse (use anatomically correct terms)
  • Sexual harassment and sexual abuse
  • Myths and facts
  • Define empowerment
  • Define consent
  • What to do: no, go, tell and bystander role
  • Identify who and how to tell
  • Refusal skills (how to say a clear “no”)
  • How to respond if you are being harassed
  • Define unwanted physical and verbal sexual advances
  • How to resist negative peer pressure
  • Recognize the ways/actions of unsafe people that can trick you or make you feel uncomfortable
  • Ways to get help
  • You’re empowered if you take action
Materials Used

  • Second Step Child Protection Units


Seventh Grade

Critical Content

  • Definition of sexual abuse
  • Definition of sexual harassment (verbal, nonverbal, physical)
  • Define empowerment
  • Awareness of when you might be making unwanted physical and verbal sexual advances
  • Define consent/how to say “no”
  • Define difference between flirting/joking and harassment
  • Who trusted adults are
  • When to tell
  • How to resist negative peer pressure
  • District sexual harassment policy
  • ACT (Acknowledge, Care, Tell) in response to friends in need
Materials Used

  • Second Step Child Protection Units


Eighth Grade

Critical Content

  • Definition of sexual abuse
  • Define teen dating violence
  • Qualities of healthy and unhealthy relationships
  • Wheel of Power & Control / one-sided relationships
  • Define balance within relationships
  • Define types of abuse (emotional/verbal, physical, sexual)
  • Recognize how technology might be used to abuse and how to protect oneself
  • Explain consent and non-consent
  • How to say “no” when not giving consent
  • How to seek help & who to go to (trusted adults)
  • How to respond if you know someone in an unhealthy relationship
  • Recognize and identify bullying within dating relationships
Materials Used

  • Second Step Child Protection Units

Additional details on the CCSD21 Erin’s Law curriculum can be found here: Erin’s Law Curriculum Scope and Sequence

What can parents do to help students recognize and respond to unsafe situations?

Parents should be available and children should know that no topic is “off limits” for discussion with parents. Additionally, parents should:

  • Talk to children about touching safety, private areas, and secrets
  • Empower children to say “no”, even to non-sexual touches if it makes the child uncomfortable
  • Be aware of who their child is spending time with
  • Monitor their child’s use of technology, as well as watch and listen to children’s behavior
  • Reinforce and practice 3 Safety Steps

Parents can also learn more about how to support your child at this link, or through the resources linked above.

Who can I go to for more information?

Each school principal, social worker, or psychologist can provide you with additional information.

What happens if a child reports an unsafe situation to school personnel?

All school personnel are mandated reporters and will report all suspected unsafe situations to the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services.