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Bills seek speedy teacher firing

April 1, 2013

teacher crimeTwo Democratic state lawmakers have introduced dual bills to speed dismissals of teachers accused of certain egregious acts against children.

The proposed legislation, by Assemblywoman Joan Buchanan of Alamo and Sen. Alex Padilla, San Fernando, earned swift endorsement from the California Teachers Association (CTA), and is the result of a string of abuse cases.

In some, teachers neglected to notify the proper authorities of child abuse by teachers. In others, principals ignored their responsibility to act on information they received.

Dean E. Vogel, CTA president, said in a prepared statement that the 325,000-member organization is supportive because “the bills… keep students safe, safeguard the integrity of the profession, and protect the rights of educators. We support these bills because they provide immediate protections for students and streamline and shorten the dismissal process to ensure charges are handled fairly and in a timely manner.”


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You mean to say these “Rules” are not already being implemented? Isn’t it their responsibility to report cases of abuse, either from a parent, other student or anyone?? I am confused as to why we need a bill to specify something that should already be in place.


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AB 375 adds homicide charges to the list of offenses that can spur a teacher’s removal by a school district, among other things.


The legislation also would remove current exemptions regarding who can be placed on leave, allowing teachers who are charged with homicide or certain drug offenses to be placed on leave.


Well, it’s nice that CTA supports adding homicide as cause for being placed on leave.


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What if it’s justifiable homicide? Such as self defense?


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Teachers Unions have received some just criticism for some of their policies and goals. That doesn’t mean that everything they do is bad. And when they actually back some good reforms it doesn’t help to make sarcastic criticisms of them for doing so. A little positive feedback and encouragement is due here.


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No one should be fired til the accusations are proven to be true. If a teacher is accused of something then put the teacher on leave with pay until proven one way or the other. If a teacher is disliked students can band together and lie til the cows come home. I’ve seen it.


God Bless


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Thank you for speaking out.


I knew a teacher who experienced exactly the situation you postulate. He was fortunate enough to have his accusers rescind their claims a couple of days later but felt that the profession was too risky to continue after the automatic social assumption of guilt he received. Is it any wonder that it is difficult to find good teachers — especially males — willing to join and remain in that profession?


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In San Luis Coastal USD we have a tenured history teacher who talks about her lurid personal sexual experiences to middle schoolers during their American history class. What my child has told me is appalling. Would this bill cover this kind of behavior? Maybe it should. It’s pretty embarrassing/uncomfortable for many of these students to sit through this.


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“egregious acts against children”. American History, more like her history. should qualify as “egregious acts against children” it isn’t sex ed class ya know.


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Accused??


“In some, teachers neglected to notify the proper authorities of child abuse by teachers.”

This doesn’t say “alleged child abuse by teachers”. So, does the bill support firing based on accusations?


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Hmmmmm, now we have teachers with photos of child molestation on their computers, found years ago, yet they still teach, adminstration unable to do anything because of unions and tenure, teachers continue their abuse of students. So which situation would you want?????


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I want justice toward the GUILTY their actions.


Anyone can be accused. Anyone can accuse.


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but as we so often hear, “When it comes to children, error on the side of the children”, right?? Right now we are erroring on the side of the unions and tenure


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good start. next?


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