States seek to stymie hiring suspected sex-predator teachers

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Associated Press

States seek to stymie hiring suspected sex-predator teachers

Michelle R. Smith and Susan Haigh, Associated Press

Updated 12:30 am, Monday, March 7, 2016

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — It's called "passing the trash": A school suspects a teacher of sexual misconduct and forces the teacher out to protect the students. But that teacher can still get a new job in a new school, sometimes with a glowing recommendation.

Only Pennsylvania, Missouri and Oregon ban the maneuver, but a federal mandate passed in December now requires states to address its potential risks. Connecticut is considering such legislation.

One woman abused by such a teacher says it's about time the problem is getting attention.

She was 16 when her English teacher at the exclusive Marlborough School in Los Angeles began grooming her. He showered her with praise, gave her gifts and pitted her against her friends. Then there was a sexual advance, and sex. Eventually, she became pregnant and miscarried.

Read more: http://www.chron.com/news/us/article/States-seek-to-stymie-hiring-suspected-6874108.php

[metroins]

1. This sounds like a good thing nt

[jtuck004]

2. Now if they could just stop fundie christians from subbing creationism 4 science

we might have something.

[7962]

3. Why has it taken SO long to put a stop to these people?

And why are they letting them get away with not being charged?

[Xithras]

9. Due process. Limitations in the law. Defamation suits.

It's standard practice for employers to refuse to divulge any information about former employees, other than to confirm their period of employment. If a teacher leaves a school under a cloud of suspicion but is never charged, divulging that to future employers opens the school district up to a HUGE lawsuit from the teacher. Insinuating that someone is a sex predator, without a conviction, will get you sued. It's defamation.

The new law requires schools to divulge whether or not they left under these circumstances. By legislating the requirement, the government has changed it from an unproven defamatory claim to a mandatory report. If it's in the teachers employee record, they can now divulge it. That wasn't in there before.


As for why so many aren't charged, it often comes down to the victims. Most victims, or their parents, don't want to sit through trials, so most of these people are never charged. Even worse, the nature of these relationships (especially in high school, where they are most common) can lead to a he said/she said situation where one side claims that it was a coerced molestation while the other insists that it was simply statutory rape (the former being far more serious than the latter, from a legal standpoint). It's an ugly process, and many people don't want to go through it. So the perpetrators walk without ever even getting charged.

[7962]

10. All good points. Thank you

[Travis_0004]

4. I think there needs to be some sort of due process

And if there is enough evidence there should be a way to pull the teachers liscense.

[Hoppy]

5. With the clergy, it's called, "suffering the little children.' That one is also from Carlin.

[iandhr]

6. i have seen that routine.

He was way ahead of his time.

[Hoppy]

7. Funny thing is, if I had posted this as a quote without reference to Carlin, it would have been

alerted to jury.

that's the way this site seems to work.

[iandhr]

8. Yup

This was the routine where he went after the anti-choice folks. He said something like "When these Cardinals and Bishops have their first pregnancies, suffer their first labor pains, and raise a kid on minimum wage I will be glad to listen to them about abortion."