[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 34 (Thursday, February 26, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E483-E484]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       THE STUDENT PROTECTION ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. ADAM H. PUTNAM

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, February 26, 2009

  Mr. PUTNAM. Madam Speaker, on January 28, 2009, I reintroduced the 
Student Protection Act, a measure aimed at protecting our Nation's 
classrooms from repeat sexual predators within our school systems.
  The Student Protection Act requires uniform reporting requirements 
for eligible school system employees accused of sexual misconduct 
against a student, consistent with established guidelines for reporting 
child abuse; it requires

[[Page E484]]

a central body in each state to be responsible for receiving and 
investigating allegations of sexual misconduct by school employees; and 
it creates a nationwide database of school employees sanctioned by the 
state for sexual misconduct--thus enabling state, local, and private 
school officials to ensure offenders remain out of the classroom.
  Accounts of teacher sexual misconduct have inundated headlines across 
our country. In 2004, a study required by the No Child Left Behind Act 
of 2001 reported that an estimated 4.5 million children are subject to 
sexual misconduct by a school employee sometime between kindergarten 
and 12th grade--that's nearly 1 in 10 students that are targets of 
sexual misconduct during their school career. As far as I'm concerned, 
that's one too many.
  Further, a 2007 seven-month Associated Press investigation found a 
total of 2,570 educators across the nation were punished for sexual 
misconduct from 2001-2005, representing about a quarter of all educator 
misconduct cases in that time period.
  More than a dozen states have considered legislation to strengthen 
laws for screening and reporting of sexual misconduct by educators last 
year--many of which became law. However, without adopting systematic 
policies and procedures at the national level all states remain 
vulnerable when hiring school employees from states with mediocre 
reporting procedures and lackluster ethical standards. Our classrooms 
deserve much more than a piecemeal effort that leaves our nation's 
schools exposed to predators moving from state to state.
  Ernie Allen, President and CEO of the National Center for Missing and 
Exploited Children said, ``This Act brings long-overdue recognition to 
the problem of child sexual exploitation in the school system.''
  It is abundantly clear that the system we have in place has failed 
our students--repeatedly. Before we read about another teacher 
assaulting yet another student or another classroom shaken by another 
breach of trust, now--not later--let us give schools the tools they 
need to keep repeat sexual offenders from preying on students within 
the very institutions that should be a safe-haven for our children.
  We have a unique opportunity before us to empower educators and 
parents nationwide and make it crystal clear we will not allow those 
who would prey on young, vulnerable minds to compromise the integrity 
of our school system and tarnish an honorable profession. I urge my 
colleagues to join me in supporting this legislation, ensuring the 
safety of our children.

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