I'm not a big one to blame teachers unions for ALL the problems in public education (the legal enshrinement of in loco parentis gets my vote). but in this case it is ABSOLUTELY the Unions.
In a separate post that dimension was highlighted in disgusting detail. A bill in CA that died would have required schools to inquire with past employers to see if applicants were previously found responsible for an act of child abuse or sexual misconduct with a pupil. Schools would have been required to disclose substantiated sexual misconduct findings directly to other schools. The legislation would have also banned language preventing disclosure of child abuse or sexual misconduct with a child in union contracts, as well as termination or severance deals with employees. Buuuuuut...The California Teachers Association, the American Civil Liberties Union and others opposed the bill, citing due process concerns for employees.
There is strikingly very little published research on this topic - probably due to an unspoken blackballing that'd happen to academics who shine light on this grotesque underbelly of education. But what I've read points to a conga line of sick teachers who leave before an official case can be compiled, nobody saying anything in part due to union rules that official transcripts can't include "heresay", (and some codependent combo of parents thinking it can't happen in THEIR school or that maybe little Mary made it up) and they move to a new district to continue preying on kids.
To be sure, the recent groomer sensation has (finally) riled up people, and the trans and same-sex dimension has been the magnet. Fair enough, but opposite sex educator-student abuse makes up about 70%+ of all misconduct...and that's been going on for a LONG time.
For some football-player/rapist type men, it's worth a giggle if teenage Johnny has sex with Mrs Jones - I think it's a crime and the educational retinue protecting Mrs Jones should be keelhauled (along with Mrs Jones).
Small wonder Homeschooling is on the rise. Professor Shakeshaft should be on Tucker.
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Thanks for the info!