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Pantagraph EditorialTuesday, April 8, 2008 12:26 AM CDT
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Unit 5, any district shouldn't pass along 'bad apples'
By the Pantagraph Editorial Board
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Former Unit 5 elementary school teacher Jon White apologized in Champaign County court before being sentenced Friday to 48 years in prison for the sexual abuse of eight children.

That apology was not enough and neither would an apology be enough to excuse Unit 5 officials for the glowing recommendation they provided to White when he was asked to leave one of that district's schools in April 2005.

That positive letter was part of an agreement to get White's resignation without going through formal dismissal proceedings.

In other words, Unit 5 took the easy way out and passed its problem off to an unsuspecting district.

The district's residents should be outraged - as should the good teachers who needlessly are tarnished when one among them acts improperly.

Belatedly, Unit 5 has taken steps to improve its pre-employment screening procedures. It has created the position of director of human resources/training, with an eye toward greater attention to screening and recruiting.

But it is also important for the district to protect other children, not just those in its own district.

The letter of recommendation for White didn't state his dates of employment in a neutral manner. It referred to "positive comments" by parents, described him as "committed and dedicated to the teaching craft" and noted that he was "willing to go beyond the school day with students" and "enjoys working with athletes.

There was no mention of his suspension for viewing pornography on his classroom computer or a parent's complaint that he acted inappropriately toward her daughter.

Although there were no allegations of sexual abuse at the time, the warning flags were waving.

Unfortunately, Unit 5 is not alone in failing to warn other districts - either because of resignation agreements or the fear of lawsuits. This passing off of "bad apples" has got to stop.

A bill sponsored by state Rep. Dan Brady, R-Bloomington, would require school officials to inform other districts of any suspected abuse of a minor when job performance or qualification information is requested. It would also protect the districts if they are acting in good faith in providing the information.

The Legislature should move forward with this measure - and quickly.

Meanwhile, the Unit 5 school board should make a clear, public commitment that it will not pass off its problem teachers to other districts or provide positive recommendations to teachers it has suspended or disciplined in other ways without mentioning those actions.

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Reader comments on this story - 3 total

Note: All views and opinions expressed in reader comments are solely those of the individual submitting the comment, and not those of the Pantagraph or its staff.

Jarhead71 wrote on Apr 8, 2008 7:08 PM:

" Hey Pantagraph, this is exactly what many of us have been saying here all along. What took you so long to say it? Hey T, the problem is that these managers/administrators/board members that you say are trying to stick it to the little guys are not standing up to the BIG UNION bosses like they should have been. They want to hire a TEACHER to be their HR Manager, they are NOT seeking an HR Professional. Nothing will change, they will just get better at covering things up in the future. THE MESSENGER has some excellent points. You should consider pondering upon them instead of dismissing them outright. Do you have the ability to ponder, or did your public education skip that class? "

T wrote on Apr 8, 2008 12:35 PM:

" Great comments from the paper until I saw the stupid comments from "The Messanger"
Until the current Sup of Schools changes the hiring practices in Unit 5 we will continue to hire friends and family members as teachers. It's who know who vs hiring the best qualified teacher for the position. Just as a reminder messenger there would not be a need for unions if you had managers/administrators/board members trying to stick it to the little guy. White was a bad hire and the question still remains why he was never fired for viewing porn in the first place and why did he get a letter of recomendation? "

The Messenger wrote on Apr 8, 2008 11:57 AM:

" First off, I applaud Rep. Brady's legislation.

2. Due to the stranglehold the Teacher's Unions have on the Democrat controlled Illinois legislature, it has a snowball's chance of passing. YOU HEARD THAT HERE FIRST.

The teacher/molestation problem in public schools is having light shed upon it like never before. Its exposes the liberal run education system in our country, and THAT point explains why the information is just now coming to light.

Much like the poorest and most crime ridden cities in this country, the education system has been destroyed by liberal democrats for the last 40 years. Look it up, Detroit, LA, New Orleans, PUBLIC SCHOOLS!!!

Back to the original point. Try following Rep. Brady's bill through the Illinois House and watch where it gets stopped and why. ....... liberals.

"
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