Erin's Law -All Grades

August 2026

Dear West Babylon Families,

State Legislature Chapter 187 of the Laws of 2019 — known as Erin's Law — requires public schools to provide instruction designed to prevent child sexual exploitation and abuse to students in Kindergarten through eighth grade. Erin's Law is named for Erin Merryn, an abuse survivor and activist against child sexual abuse who has advocated for similar laws nationwide for over a decade. Erin's Law is intended to help children, teachers, and parents in New York State schools identify sexual abuse, and to provide awareness, assistance, referral, or resource information for children and families who are victims of child sexual abuse.

During the month of April, which is National Child Abuse Prevention Month, West Babylon social workers and guidance counselors will begin the implementation of various Erin's Law lessons in grades K–8. These lessons will help to ensure that West Babylon is continuing to work with families to provide a safe and nurturing environment for all students, while meeting the NYS requirements for this instruction. Our goal is to not only equip students with the tools needed for personal safety awareness, but to provide students with age-appropriate instruction on how to recognize the warning signs of child sexual abuse and exploitation, with resources on finding help.

The New York State Education Department has prepared an Erin's Law website with curriculum resources and curriculum benchmarks to support this endeavor and provide assistance to schools and educators. The website and resources have been developed with the help of partners such as the Department of Health, the NYSED Office of Student Support Services, the Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS), and the New York State Center for School Health.

For more information about the NYS Erin's Law and/or the Curriculum Benchmarks, please visit the NYSED website: NYSED ERIN'S LAW

If you have any questions about Erin's Law curriculum in our schools, please contact your building administration.

Sincerely,

Scott Payne

Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum & Instruction