Sex offender bill raised questions

bniolet — Tue, 12 May 2009 16:24:21 -0400

House members had concerns about a bill that would add teachers who are convicted of having sex with students to the sex offender registry.

Currently teachers or school employees are added to the registry if they are convicted of taking indecent liberties with a student younger than 16. The bill would cover all K-12 students.

Rep. Curtis Blackwood, a Matthews Republican said he was worried about a scenario in which high school students are dating. One student graduates and goes to work for the school.

"He or she is going to be labelled a sex offender for continuing the relationship," Blackwood said.

Rep. Rick Glazier, a Fayetteville Democrat, said the indecent liberties law includes a provision that the incident is a felony only if the age difference is four years or greater.

"This statute is about a teacher having sex with a student," Glazier said.

More after the jump.

Bill would add teachers to registry

ryanteaguebeckwith — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 10:39:02 -0500

A bill would add having sex with students to the state's sex offender registry.

The legislation filed this week by Rep. Bruce Goforth, an Asheville Democrat, would add taking indecent liberties with a student to the list of offenses that classify someone as a sex offender.

School employees who were convicted of that crime would be placed on the statewide sex offender registry.

People on the registry must file their current address, workplace and school on a registry that is publicly available on the Internet.

Goforth said the change was requested by school administrators who want to discourage misconduct and learn about potential employees.

"It would make people aware that they had a sex offense, so it would be up to them whether to hire that person to teach again," he said.

Under state law, teachers, administrators, student teachers and coaches, among others, can be convicted of a taking indecent liberties if they commit "lewd or lascivious acts" with students at their school. The crime is a felony.

HB209-09

Sex offender bill raised questions

Bill would add teachers to registry