Strengthening Student Protection
Floor Speech
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Mr. Speaker, last year alone, over 450 teachers or school employees across the Nation were arrested for misconduct with a child. That is more than one per day. What is more, the Department of Education has estimated that nearly 10 percent of students are targets of educator sexual misconduct sometime during their school career.
Those numbers should be disturbing to every lawmaker, to every parent, and every grandparent in this body. In an effort to curb this alarming trend, I am proud that the Student Success Act under debate here today includes language from a bill that I introduced, the Jeremy Bell Act, to strengthen student protection efforts and get serious
about who is being hired and transferred within our school system.
The Jeremy Bell Act was named after a young boy from West Virginia who was drugged, sexually assaulted, and murdered by his elementary school principal--a man who had been suspected of sexual misconduct at previous jobs but was allowed to quietly transfer from district to district, avoiding repercussions and without awareness from his new employers, a shameful act known as ``passing the trash.''
Language found within the Student Success Act will end the practice of ``passing the trash'' by blocking educational agencies from receiving Federal funds if they facilitate the transfer of an employee that they know or have probable cause to believe has engaged in sexual misconduct with a student.
Furthermore, it ensures that the hiring of all school employees will be compliant with current, extensive background check requirements.
As the husband of an educator, I know the overwhelming majority of teachers, educators, school administrators, and support staff are amazing, caring individuals committed to the success of their students.
It is as much to protect the good work that they do, as well as the safety for our children, that we must pass this legislation and take real steps to address this issue.
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