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Legislation aims to keep sexual predators out of Tennessee schools

In this Sept. 20, 2016, staff file photo, Sen. Todd Gardenhire speaks during the Education Mini-Summit 2016 at the Volkswagen Conference Center, where Tennessee legislators from Hamilton County and local education officials discuss the county's public school system.
In this Sept. 20, 2016, staff file photo, Sen. Todd Gardenhire speaks during the Education Mini-Summit 2016 at the Volkswagen Conference Center, where Tennessee legislators from Hamilton County and local education officials discuss the county's public school system. In this Sept. 20, 2016, staff file photo, Sen. Todd Gardenhire speaks during the Education Mini-Summit 2016 at the Volkswagen Conference Center, where Tennessee legislators from Hamilton County and local education officials discuss the county's public school system.

By Meghan Mangrum 5 min read

In light of a report released earlier this year that found Tennessee lacks clear procedures and policies regarding educator sexual misconduct with students, members of the state Senate Education Committee this week filed five bills to address the issue.

The Comptroller’s Office of Research and Education Accountability examined Tennessee’s relevant laws, policies and practices in the report released in January after several high-profile cases involving school personnel and the sexual abuse of Tennessee students.

The bills

Senate Bill 2014 ensures that background checks are conducted to identify sexual predators before a teacher license is issued and that reports are done on an ongoing basis for those who work with children.Senate Bill 2015 prohibits a Local Education Agency (LEA) from entering into a non-disclosure agreement with a teacher that would prevent other school districts from knowing about sexual misconduct.Senate Bill 2013 which updates the state’s Teacher Code of Ethics regarding inappropriate teacher-student relationships, including engaging in sexual behavior with students or furnishing them alcohol or drugs.Senate Bill 2011 grants the State Board of Education’s authority to reprimand school directors for not reporting instances of misconduct and clarifies the board’s authority to reprimand educators for violating the Teacher Code of Ethics.Senate Bill 2012 which calls for the State Board of Education to post all final teacher disciplinary action on its website to allow school districts. It also requires final licensure action be reported to the National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification database.

In 2016, a USA Today investigation gave Tennessee an “F” after a national investigation of educator sexual misconduct in schools looked at each state’s efforts to reduce the chances that an employee with a history of sexual misconduct could move from one school to another without repercussions.

The five bills in the package – Senate Bills 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015 – include updates to the state’s teacher code of ethics, require background checks before a teacher is licensed, and call for the State Board of Education to post all final teacher disciplinary action on its website.