newsobserver.com projects - HB209-09 - Comments

Re: Sex offender bill raised questions

morganton6 — Thu, 14 May 2009 09:54:47 -0400

Rep. Blackwood, This Bill is being proposed to place teachers on the Registry. If the person you mentioned gets a job at the same school after graduation, if they are not a teacher, then it should not apply to them. If they get a job as a teacher then they would will have went to college for at least four years and by that time the person they were dating should have graduated also, unless he is dating a sixth grader. Teachers should be held to the same standard as everyone is a position of trust. Teachers are there to teach not engage in any activity that would place themselves in a position to lose their jobs or be put on the registry.

Re: Bill would add teachers to registry

greenswamp — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 11:38:52 -0500

There is not a different standard, but the problem lies with school boards and superintendents who don't want to prosecute because they are afraid of bad publicity. The teacher is then just sent away with no record of a violation to another district only to repeat the offense on another unsuspecting school.

Re: Bill would add teachers to registry

j1c2kp — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 10:56:36 -0500

I was not aware there was a different standard for school employees, that they can currently commit sex offenses with students and yet they are not required to register as a sex offender?? That is amazing.