COMMENTARY

December 15, 2003

It's all about the kids?

Lynn Harsh | Evergreen Freedom Foundation
If you do not subscribe to the Seattle Times, you missed a very important story yesterday. A year ago, the newspaper began an investigation of sexual misconduct complaints against teachers. The Times asked ten of the state's largest school districts for these public records, particularly sexual misconduct complaints against coaches. The Washington Education Association (WEA) sued the paper to prevent disclosure of the records.

WEA president Charles Hasse said, "You have to give up a lot to be a school teacher. There should be some privacy preserved."

In Bellevue, district officials set up "file parties," where teachers were allowed to purge their records to prevent public disclosure. The Times reported, "school officials and the state's most powerful union teamed up behind the scenes to try to hide the files."

Since some teachers have faced untrue allegations about sexual misconduct, it is important for teachers and their union to keep a watchful eye on what goes in teacher personnel files. On the other hand, it's so expensive for districts to get rid of a teacher who is guilty of real misconduct, that they usually just move them off to another unsuspecting district. This exposes many innocent children to unnecessary risk.

Allegations against teachers must be thoroughly investigated. Teachers who are not guilty must be cleared publicly, and those who are guilty as charged should be relieved of their duties immediately. No union or school district engaged in the type of "cover-up" behavior described by the Times can say they're doing it "for the kids." At least not with a straight face.

Lynn Harsh is the Senior Education Analyst for the Evergreen Freedom Foundation.

Additional Information
Union, district joined forces to block records
December 14, 2003

Misconduct often goes unpunished by districts
December 15, 2003

Contact: Marsha Richards | Communications Director | 360.956.3482

Evergreen Freedom Foundation P.O. Box 552, Olympia, WA 98507 Phone: (360) 956-3482, Fax: (360) 352-1874 Email: effwa@effwa.org