We have a teacher here in Central FL that has been charged with having sex with at least 3 students, in 3 different schools. She's still in jail.

Ellen

I think somewhere we have erred in training the generations coming up in proper decorum, including people in their 40s. Anything goes in the movies, press and tv, so some people just don't get it that movies are not real life. Look at how female characters, even those in leadership positions, dress on TV and in movies -- Skin tight, plunging and peek a boo clothing.

However, I do wonder if this woman was having some kind of emotional breakdown.

That's a sad and ridiculous episode that should never have happened.

But, with advance apologies to any current or former teachers (no insult intended),

Pedophiles and people with unhealthy attitudes about children, sex and various other aspects of life have long been drawn to teaching. They're a teeny weeny minority of the total but the fact is they're there in the profession (just like in all others). Screening is inadequate.

Sheilajoyce, television and movies don't raise children, parents do. I'd describe what concerns you in a different way. Honesty has replaced double standards and phoniness in society. The media exaggerates social expectations, but that's nothing new. Pick your favorite movie stars of the 30s-40s-50s. You and I both know what their personal lives were like, and all of that was known at the time. Nothing has changed, there's just less effort to hide what everyone already knows. I think that's a positive change, don't you?

Well this story can just coincide nicely with the new show I saw advertised the other day, Bad Teacher. I belive it's based off the movie Bad Teacher starring Cameron Diaz. I saw previews, and thought "just great".

The morals in this country are going to H@ll in a hand basket. Everything and anything goes, and don't you dare disagree or voice your opinion or you're a prude, a racist, a bigot, a homophobe, a man hater, a woman hater, a something, how dare you judge. It's beyond frightening and very sad.

Horrible. Deplorable. I do not understand people like that. It's sick and wrong.

Snidley, I am curious what you think would be adequate screening?

Snidely, could you please explain for me how you equate honesty with a lack of knowledge of appropriate public behaviour?

A court case just ended here, where a female teacher was found guilty of sexual encounters with a 17-yr old. They did it in the back seat of her car, and lots of sexting. She approached him.

The way the teacher was acting, in Raven's story sure indicates to me, that there is already a relationship going on.

Very Sad!!

alice, many private sector employers do background checks for new hires. Are they 100% effective? No, of course not, but they serve as a deterrent.

Not more than 6 months ago, there was a teacher (I think in SoCal) arrested for having inappropriate contact with a student. The criminal check unearthed two prior convictions for the same thing in other states. Duh! Do you think that district or others have changed hiring practices since this incident occurred? I'll bet not.

Colleen, I don't believe human behavior has changed much over the years. People like to point to external factors for blame rather than put responsibility where it belongs. The peers my kids knew who made poor choices, often had inappropriate behavior and got into trouble often had parents of the same description. It was the example they had to follow. People do what people do.

Societal mores change and what's acceptable conduct changes too, not always for the better. Reality is something to deal with, not to deny, ignore or bemoan.

Snidley, I am a teacher in So.Cal. All public teachers in California have to be fingerprinted and have a criminal background check.

I know that Alice (a close friend is a teacher).

I did a Google search after reading your comment. I didn't find the case I referred to (and it could have been as long as a few years ago) but I quickly found a handful of California cases of teachers hired with prior convictions. Also another of a teacher who had left one California district after allegations of improper conduct were made. While the investigation was underway, he went to work for another. The new school district didn't call the former one to ask about him (a standard step when hiring). Improper conduct resulted at the second district too, and it was at that time that problems at the former job came to light.

The mental stability and suitability of teachers is a big deal, and one that I think districts pay too little attention to. Outdated teacher tenure practices also impede efforts to keep only the best and most capable teachers in the systems.

Seems like there's very little reading, writing, and arithmetic going on in schools today.

Snidley, you did not answer my question. What do you think would be adequate screening? You don't have to answer, but thus far, you have not written anything that lends credibility to your statement that screening is inadequate.

Seems to me that the ONLY thing different today is that there are zillions of 24 hr news sources that are looking for something to relate.

I don't believe there is anything different in people's behavior today than 50, 70, 100 yrs ago. Sexually motivated teachers are not new. What is new is that it's publicized.

alice, I didn't intentionally duck it.

There's an old saying that one shouldn't expect a different outcome if the same old steps of a process are repeated over and over again. Whatever is being done now seems to not work, so I guess whatever changes need to be implemented to improve the quality of screening is what should be done. Continuing the status quo has been the response and the result is predictable.

not only was I bonded by local infocement, I was only a noon duty aid (1980's santee ca) school dist...

considering the number of teachers in large metro area like Houston, it's a pity so many are being overlooked. for every bad apple, hundreds are woking to educate with less funding than ever...