By Victor Skinner, The Center Square
Raleigh – Legislation to increase penalties for educators who sexually abuse students and administrators who fail to report is awaiting a hearing in the Senate Education Committee, one of the last scheduled stops before final approval.
House Bill 142 cleared the Senate Judiciary Committee late last month after gaining approval in the lower chamber with a unanimous vote of 112-0.
The momentum to take action comes as the state is monitoring 50 school personnel who are facing charges, under investigation or have charges pending for sexual misconduct, according to Superintendent of Public Instruction Catherine Truitt. At a rate of about 20 teachers per year, she said lawmakers must do more to address educators who leverage their position to sexually abuse students, and the system often allows them to resign and move on to avoid accountability.
“One violation is too many, and where there are gaps we need to close those gaps,” Truitt told lawmakers.
Cherokee County Schools has also faced this kind of criminal matter. On May 22, former teacher Kayla Sprinkles plead guilty to engaging in sex acts with a student at Andrews High School several years ago.
The consequences of inaction, for both students and taxpayers, was made plain with a $5.75 million settlement agreement inked last week between the New Hanover County School Board and 14 families still struggling to put their lives back together.