Teachers not held accountable for improper conduct in Texas
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) - A newspaper investigation has found the Texas Education Agency doesn't track if a teacher has been charged or convicted of a crime.
The Austin American-Statesman found that in many cases, school districts keep the information secret and teachers are allowed to take other teaching jobs or positions where they are in contact with children.
State lawmakers are now proposing legislation that would stop teachers' resigning from a school district amid allegations of misconduct with students and moving on to another teaching job.
Republican Sen. Paul Bettencourt and Republican state Rep. Tony Dale have proposed bills that would charge superintendents and principals who don't report allegations of teacher misconduct to the state education agency with at least a Class A misdemeanor.
The Statesman's investigation found teacher misconduct allegations ranged from sending flirtatious text messages to kissing or having sex in classrooms.