Legislation

Seems like its open season on children. This is not meant to be a flip statement, but have you watched the news? Everyday children are being victimized by members of the school community. The usual reaction is, how can a teacher do that?

I have the answer.

They are not teachers who molest, assault, rape their students.

They are molesters masquerading as teachers. They are molesters first and foremost. They prey on children.They found the teaching profession alluring, because they have more access to children to victimize.

Once we realize this then we can get passed the shock.  

Once we are passed the shock, we can react.

We have to put a halt to the predators lurking in plain sight. We need to hold the administrators and colleagues who cover the heinous crimes against children accountable for the crimes of the predators. By dismissing or covering up the sexual abuse of children they are culpable and therefore GUILTY too.

What can you do to stop them?

#1 Be vigilant- If something appears wrong, report it to the police. Do not dismiss your instincts. After reporting it, follow up.

#2 Be loud- Do not stand idly by. Raise the awareness of those around you. Student abuse is rampant, and many school districts sweep it under the rug.

#3 Be involved- check out http://www.september12009.com/ The Global Group of Clergy Abuse Survivors. There are many other groups that speak up for children. Join one or join them all.

#4 Be an advocate- call or write your legislator, they work for you. To find your legislator use the search feature at PA School Watch

#5 Be supportive- survivors of sexual abuse need you.

Some recent news stories about the sad state of education

Teacher sentenced in NJ

Recent Teacher Certification Actions from the PDE

Husband of teacher that received ARD sentenced see previous post about the ARD here

Of course it's not just teachers who assault children (or cover it up) it's also Senate staffers

Orie aide charged with soliciting a boy 

Editor note: Senator Orie was the first supporter of PA School Watch. I applaud her commitment to protecting children. The staffer's "activities" do not reflect on her leadership.

This is not the first instance of a legislative staffer trolling the internet  see this previous post.

One last thing- get invloved.

 It is the only way to break the cycle and keep our children from becoming prey during the never ending "open season"

back to

Todd Sheerer, a music teacher from Warwick High School, is sitting in prison awaiting trial on charges of inappropriate conduct with a student. Sheerer has also had to surrender his teaching certificate, for now. Information regarding teaching certificates is readily available on the Pennsylvania Department of Education’s website. Periodically, the PDE posts “Notification of Certificate Actions” on the newsroom page of the site. This is important and pertinent information that we should all have access to regarding public employees entrusted with educating our children. If there is a violation of the law and/or the Professional Code of Conduct, we have a right to know. The most recent Notification listed not only teachers who had to “surrender” their certificates or even have them revoked, but also one that was reinstated. 

According to an article posted July7^th at Lancaster Online, http://articles.lancasteronline.com/local/4/224094 when asked about the Sheerer case, Department of Education spokesman Michael Race said, “At some point, Sheerer could apply to regain his certification” But, Race said, "This is on his record permanently and would be taken into account."  This is all speculative at this point because Mr. Sheerer is awaiting trial and has not been convicted of any of the charges against him.

To reiterate Mr. Race’s statement, a person who surrenders their teaching certification can petition to have it reinstated even under the circumstances alleged in this case.  Shocking.

Mr. Race also mentions that these actions would be listed on a person’s permanent record, implying that it would affect their employment at a later date. Seems reasonable, doesn’t it?  Too bad that is not the case in our great Commonwealth. You can get hired, work in a school around children even with a violent criminal history. According to the Public School Code of 1949, (which has been updated and amended numerous times, most recently in 2007) you are a fine candidate for any of Pennsylvania’s public, private, vocational-technical schools or intermediate units if you are a convicted criminal.

The Act reads:

      No person subject to this act shall be employed in a public or private school, intermediate unit or area vocational-technical school where the report of criminal history record information indicates the applicant has been convicted, within five (5) years immediately preceding the date of the report, of any of the following offenses: An offense under one or more of the following provisions of Title 18 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes:

o    Chapter 25 (relating to criminal homicide).

o    Section 2702 (relating to aggravated assault).

o    Section 2709 (relating to harassment and stalking).

o    Section 2901 (relating to kidnapping)

o    Section 2902 (relating to unlawful restraint).

o    Section 3121 (relating to rape).

o    Section 3122.1 (relating to statutory sexual assault).

o    Section 3123 (relating to involuntary deviate sexual intercourse).

o    Section 3124.1 (relating to sexual assault).

o    Section 3125 (relating to aggravated indecent assault)

o    Section 3126 (relating to indecent assault).

o    Section 3127 (relating to indecent exposure).

o    Section 4302 (relating to incest).

o    Section 4303 (relating to concealing death of child).

o    Section 4304 (relating to endangering welfare of children).

o    Section 4305 (relating to dealing in infant children).

o    A felony offense under section 5902(b) (relating to prostitution and related offenses).

o    Section 5903(c) or (d) (relating to obscene and other sexual materials and performances child pornography)

o    Section 6301 (relating to corruption of minors).

o    Section 6312 (relating to sexual abuse of children).

o    Felony drug conviction

o    Out of state or Federal offense of any of the above. 

Of course it must be 5 years since the conviction, and then you’re good to go.

Don't take my word for it read the Act yourself at

http://www.teaching.state.pa.us/teaching/cwp/view.asp?Q=125828&A=13

In Pennsylvania, a person with a history of violent offenses, even crimes against children can still be eligible to be a teacher or some other school employee and spend their day working with and around students.  We, the public, expect a certain level of safety and security when we entrust our children to those in the school environment. Our children are entitled to an education, it’s their right.  PA School Watch has been working on legislation on the State and Federal level since 2005 to close the gaping loopholes in the system that was specifically designed to protect children but is actually endangering them. It’s not a secret but it definitely qualifies as a shame.

Hmmm....Pennsylvania is not one of the states listed. I suppose legislation that is SIC (stuck in committee) doesn't make news.

Ten states have taken action in recent months to crack down on sexually abusive teachers after a stream of arrests and reports that have documented the problem of educators victimizing students.

Governors, state education officials and lawmakers have led the push for new measures, which include tougher penalties for teachers who abuse students, punishment for administrators who fail to properly oversee their faculty, and an effort to train an entire state's corps of teachers to recognize potential abusers in their midst.

At least four more states are still considering legislation.

They are focusing on an increasingly undeniable phenomenon: While the vast majority of America's roughly 3 million public school teachers are committed professionals, a disturbing number have engaged in sexual misconduct. When faced with evidence of abuse, administrators sometimes fail to let others know about it, and legal loopholes let some offenders stay in the classroom.

"Too often in the past, we as adults have failed our children," Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear said when he signed a new law last month. "Today with this legislation, hopefully, we begin earning back their trust." The measure passed without a single no vote.

Measure targets abuser
Kentucky lawmakers originally drafted a measure aimed at abusive teachers, with the final legislation written broadly to encompass priests, teachers and anyone in authority over someone younger than 18. Besides increasing penalties for abusers and giving prosecutors more time to bring charges, the Kentucky law also takes aim at officials who don't report abuse to authorities.

A nationwide Associated Press investigation, published in October, found 2,570 educators lost their teaching credentials or were otherwise sanctioned from 2001 through 2005 following allegations of sexual misconduct. Experts who track sexual abuse say the problem is even bigger than those numbers suggest. Underreporting is common, they say, because victims often are ostracized and accusations are difficult to prove.

The AP series inspired some of the tougher measures, including Utah's legislation to permanently revoke the licenses of sexually abusive teachers and a new Maine law to share information about teachers disciplined for any reason, including sexual misconduct, with other states. A New York lawmaker cited the AP reports when he rallied support to overturn budget cuts that would have sharply reduced funds for investigators who examine abuse claims in school.

Initiatives begin
Meanwhile, stories on teacher misconduct by the Sarasota Herald-Tribune and The Columbus Dispatch sparked action in Florida and Ohio.

New laws also were passed in Kansas, Minnesota and Virginia, while measures are still being considered in California, Colorado, Delaware and Massachusetts. New York and South Carolina began or expanded programs targeting the problem.

Proposals failed to win legislative approval in Indiana, Missouri, South Dakota, Washington state and West Virginia.

The various measures demonstrate the many loopholes that have allowed abusive teachers to remain in the classroom, including: