NC bill would increase penalties for teachers who have sex with students
A bill to boost penalties against North Carolina teachers who have sex with students started moving Tuesday at the North Carolina General Assembly.
Indecent liberties with a student is already a Class I felony under North Carolina law, punishable by up to 24 months in prison. House Bill 142 raises that to a Class G felony, which comes with a maximum sentence of 47 months.
The bill also clarifies state law on impermissible contact with students, makes it a felony if administrators fail to report problems and adds a six-month grace period after a student leaves school to make it clear that teachers aren’t allowed to pursue sexual relations with recent graduates.
The measure moved through the House Education Committee Tuesday on a unanimous vote. It’s slated for two more committee hearings before it hits the House floor. State Superintendent of Public Instruction Catherine Truitt supports the bill. She told lawmakers Tuesday that since the beginning of 2016 there have been 124 instances of sexual misconduct involving students that led to a license suspension.
The bill also would require schools to show students in grades 6 through 12 age-appropriate videos explaining the warning signs of abuse or neglect and telling them how to report problems confidentially. Truitt said it’s important for young people to recognize early indicators, particularly when teachers may reach out to them through social media.
“Students should be empowered to recognize when an adult crosses the line,” she said.
The measure was also amended in committee Tuesday to make it easier for the state to deny pension payments when an educator is convicted of a felony and loses their license. They would still receive their own contributions, plus interest.
