Schools deal with teacher misconduct

Amidst recent positive reports of improved SAT scores and increased student achievement, there is one statistic in the North Carolina public schools system that is a cause for alarm: The number of teachers and other school employees charged with sexual misconduct with students has risen over the past few years.

The North Carolina State Board of Education investigated 30 educators on charges of misconduct and revoked 11 teaching licenses between January and August 2003, compared with 24 investigations and nine revocations in all of 2002. In addition, criminal charges of misconduct were filed against 27 school employees through June 2003, while only 28 were filed in all of 2002.

"Judging on news accounts, people are frequently shocked and disgusted," said Harry Wilson, attorney for the NCSBE. "They wonder if they can trust public schools to take care of their children."

State legislation enacted in 1999 outlawed school workers from having sexual relations with a student if both parties were ever at the same school, closing a loophole in the legal system. Previously, school personnel had not been banned from having relations with students as young as 16--the state age of consent.

"I think our laws are very good," Wilson said. "I don't know any state that has it all figured out. We learn from one another. We pick up ideas so that nationwide things can improve."

North Carolina is one of only eight states without a general law requiring criminal background checks before hiring school personnel. Each local school board has the discretion to decide whether or not to conduct these checks. State officials, however, say these local checks are sufficient, making a general law unnecessary.

"We don't need to tell school districts to do it because they are already doing it," said Leanne Winner, director of government relations for the North Carolina School Boards Association. "We did a survey a few years ago and found that only four systems weren't doing it and that three of the four were planning to soon. I don't think anyone isn't doing it now."

Certain counties have been particularly hard hit by allegations against school personnel. In Wake County, at least three teachers and school resource officers have been charged with misconduct so far in 2003. School officials led a forum on the issue this past spring. The county is also implementing a program this month to arm school principals with information about misconduct that they can then pass on to teachers.

"My hope is that our staff knows when the line of impropriety is crossed," said Bill McNeal, superintendent of Wake County Schools. "You want to take all the necessary precautions."

Wake County has also taken steps to inform both parents and students about what role they can play in combating the problem.

"Anytime we are dealing with the issue, we send information home to the parents. They have trusted us to do the right thing," McNeal said. "We also have hotlines students can call anonymously and we will follow up on that."

According to a study conducted by Hofstra University researchers, approximately 15 percent of children in the United States will be sexually abused by a school employee before leaving high school. State officials want to strengthen initiatives to help reduce the risk of North Carolina schoolchildren becoming a part of this statistic.

"I'd like to think there will be more combining of efforts of law enforcement and community relations, a sharing of resources and information to make sure children are protected," Wilson said. "Steps have been taken, but there's always room for improvement."