Thanks to Mary C. Tillotson at Watchdog.org for covering this important discussion of Senator Williams' work on SB 46 in PA. This article provided a link to a great definition of "grooming" that is important to understand in the context of educator sexual abust and misconduct. The link redirects here.
Originally Posted on watchdog.org 9/26/2013
"It's called "passing the trash" — moving an abusive teacher to a different school district, often with glowing recommendations.
And if Pennsylvania lawmakers approve Senate Bill 46, it's going to be more difficult for school districts to do it.
The bill, which passed unanimously in the state Senate in June, was prompted by the murder of a West Virginia fifth grader in 1997, bill sponsor Sen. Anthony Williams said."
"Jeremy Bell, 12, was killed by his teacher after months of sexual molestation, Bell's family alleged in a lawsuit against Fayette County Board of Education, even though his parents and teachers had reported the molestation to the board, according to the Fayette Tribune.
His teacher began working in Fayette County in 1975, after being fired for sexual misconduct from Interboro School District, where he had taught for nine years, the West Virginia Record reports. The school district and the state's board of education pushed letters of recommendation written by former co-workers when he moved to Fayette County, the Record reports.
The state did not have a law that would have prevented Bell's death, Williams said."
Read the entire story online: http://watchdog.org/107730/relocating-sexually-abusive-teachers-would-be-more-difficult-under-pennsylvania-bill/