The Not- So- Secret Shame Column from Tina Tranauskas PA School Watch

Please read this column from Tina Tranauskas the Founder and Executive Director of PA School Watch.
The Not- So- Secret Shame
Todd Sheerer, a music teacher from Warwick High School, is sitting in prison awaiting trial on charges of inappropriate conduct with a student. Sheerer has also had to surrender his teaching certificate, for now. Information regarding teaching certificates is readily available on the Pennsylvania Department of Education’s website. Periodically, the PDE posts “Notification of Certificate Actions” on the newsroom page of the site. This is important and pertinent information that we should all have access to regarding public employees entrusted with educating our children. If there is a violation of the law and/or the Professional Code of Conduct, we have a right to know. The most recent Notification listed not only teachers who had to “surrender” their certificates or even have them revoked, but also one that was reinstated. 
According to an article posted July 7th at Lancaster Online, http://articles.lancasteronline.com/local/4/224094 when asked about the Sheerer case, Department of Education spokesman Michael Race said, “At some point, Sheerer could apply to regain his certification” But, Race said, “This is on his record permanently and would be taken into account.” This is all speculative at this point because Mr. Sheerer is awaiting trial and has not been convicted of any of the charges against him.
To reiterate Mr. Race’s statement, a person who surrenders their teaching certification can petition to have it reinstated even under the circumstances alleged in this case.  Shocking.
Mr. Race also mentions that these actions would be listed on a person’s permanent record, implying that it would affect their employment at a later date. Seems reasonable, doesn’t it?  Too bad that is not the case in our great Commonwealth. You can get hired, work in a school around children even with a violent criminal history. According to the Public School Code of 1949, (which has been updated and amended numerous times, most recently in 2007) you are a fine candidate for any of Pennsylvania’s public, private, vocational-technical schools or intermediate units if you are a convicted criminal.
The Act reads:
1. No person subject to this act shall be employed in a public or private school, intermediate unit or area vocational-technical school where the report of criminal history record information indicates the applicant has been convicted, within five (5) years immediately preceding the date of the report, of any of the following offenses: An offense under one or more of the following provisions of Title 18 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes:
o CHAPTER 25 (RELATING TO CRIMINAL HOMICIDE).
o Section 2702 (relating to aggravated assault).
o Section 2709 (relating to harassment and stalking).
o Section 2901 (relating to kidnapping).
o Section 2902 (relating to unlawful restraint).
o Section 3121 (relating to rape).
o Section 3122.1 (relating to statutory sexual assault).
o Section 3123 (relating to involuntary deviate sexual intercourse).
o Section 3124.1 (relating to sexual assault).
o Section 3125 (relating to aggravated indecent assault).
o Section 3126 (relating to indecent assault).
o Section 3127 (relating to indecent exposure).
o Section 4302 (relating to incest).
o Section 4303 (relating to concealing death of child).
o Section 4304 (relating to endangering welfare of children).
o Section 4305 (relating to dealing in infant children).
o A felony offense under section 5902(b) (relating to prostitution and related offenses).
o Section 5903(c) or (d) (relating to obscene and other sexual materials and performances child pornography).
o Section 6301 (relating to corruption of minors).
o Section 6312 (relating to sexual abuse of children).
o Felony drug conviction
o Out of state or Federal offense of any of the above.
Of course it must be 5 years since the conviction, and then you’re good to go.
Don’t take my word for it, read the Act yourself at http://www.teaching.state.pa.us/teaching/cwp/view.asp?Q=125828&A=13
In Pennsylvania, a person with a history of violent offenses, even crimes against children can still be eligible to be a teacher or some other school employee and spend their day working with and around students.  We, the public, expect a certain level of safety and security when we entrust our children to those in the school environment. Our children are entitled to an education, it’s their right.  PA School Watch has been working on legislation on the State and Federal level since 2005 to close the gaping loopholes in the system that was specifically designed to protect children but is actually endangering them. It’s not a secret but it definitely qualifies as a shame.

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Rob.

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