National List Of Problem Teachers Is Now Public

[White Rain]

A confidential, nationwide list of 24,500 teachers who have been punished for a wide array of offenses was made available to the public Friday by a Florida newspaper.
The Sarasota Herald-Tribune created a searchable database of the teachers' names after waiting for years to gain access to the list. The paper began seeking the material as part of its earlier reporting on teacher sexual misconduct in Florida. It obtained the list from the Florida Department of Education.
The list, gathered and maintained by the National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification, does not provide any information on why any of the teachers were disciplined. Sexual misconduct, financial misconduct, criminal convictions and other misbehavior all can bring disciplinary actions against teacher licenses.
more: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,317893,00.html

 

[absinthe]

I'm sorry, when but when did teachers lose their right to privacy?

As a teacher I find this news shocking and frightening. And no, I have nothing to hide.

 

[Ang50]

Teachers are public employees. Holding a license is a priviledge which can be revoked. Actions which threaten your license should be public.

Why should teachers be treated any differently than doctors and lawyers?

 

[absinthe]

What does financial misconduct have to do with a teacher's ability to perform her job?

 

[mrsjonnob]

Is there a link to the list?

 

[absinthe]

Teachers are public employees. Holding a license is a priviledge which can be revoked. Actions which threaten your license should be public.

Why should teachers be treated any differently than doctors and lawyers?

Is there a similar public list for doctors and lawyers of which I am unaware?

I'm curious how you would "actions that threaten one's license".

 

[MagicRose99]

Teachers are public employees. Holding a license is a priviledge which can be revoked. Actions which threaten your license should be public.

Why should teachers be treated any differently than doctors and lawyers?

Exactly! Especially since these are people who are entrusted with your children... you should know and have every right to know something like this.

 

[Ang50]

Is there a link to the list?

http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20071219/NEWS/997571940

My quick search on my state pulled up over 200... I looked at people under 30. Of the 8 I ran on my state's public records site, 5 were sex offenders.

 

[MagicRose99]

Is there a similar public list for doctors and lawyers of which I am unaware?

I'm curious how you would "actions that threaten one's license".

You can go to any state board website and check on your doctor/lawyer/dentist/PT, etc. and find out what, if any, actions have been taken against him/her, including malpractice suits.

 

[absinthe]

Is a criminal arrest/conviction considered an "action taken"? Wondering.

 

[MagicRose99]

Is a criminal arrest/conviction considered an "action taken"? Wondering.

Yes. I do know that with Dr's, if they are convicted of a crime, they lose their license automatically... at least in CA.

 

[gidget641]

What does financial misconduct have to do with a teacher's ability to perform her job?

IMO financial misconduct would speak volumes on the teachers moral values. It may not hinder thier ability as a teacher. However, in this day and age with so many programs in schools dependant on fund raising because of tax cuts, I would be conserned if a teacher guilty of financial misconduct were in charge of an event to generate funds.

I would not want my kids out their busting their humps to save a music or sporting activity only to have a teacher skimming. And if I knew that a teacher was guilty of financial misconduct, skimming would be the first thought to pop into my head.

I honestly feel that if a teacher has been reprimanded I want to know.

 

[angelwngs]

Is there a similar public list for doctors and lawyers of which I am unaware?

I'm curious how you would "actions that threaten one's license".

LOL......

If there were a similar list, our hospitals and courts systems would have to shut down!

...and it won't be looking good for the school systems...

Georgia's Current Superintendent of the Year had an accident, some years ago, while driving a county vehicle and got a DUI...

The car was repaired under the cover of darkness in the Board of Education's county transportation shop by a neighboring county's employee....

News of this NEVER made the LIGHT OF DAY... (this is 'so I have been told', on more than one occasion, and on good authority...)IMO

 

[pedinurse]

I'm sorry, when but when did teachers lose their right to privacy?

As a teacher I find this news shocking and frightening. And no, I have nothing to hide.

I think it is a great idea. They need one place to go so they can see everyone who has had an issue with their teaching license. I am sure that teaching has had issues with problem teachers going from state to state to state, trying to get licenses if they have problems in one state. THis will cut down on that.
I think with our babies, we have a RIGHT to know!!!! And if it is an action taken against you because of professional misconduct or issues with your licensure (censure, ect), then no, you agreed when you took that license that it would be made public on that "license"... its not a hidden thing. I also don't have ANY problem with parents being able to see this stuff too... I think they should have every right to, actually, to protect their children.

 

[JBean]

Yes. I do know that with Dr's, if they are convicted of a crime, they lose their license automatically... at least in CA.

Interestingly I was listening to the radio today and they were talking about bad surgeries and doctors that abuse drugs and alcohol. This particular doctor was a plastic surgeon and he had been convicted of DUI on HIS WAY TO SURGERY.
As long as he entered into a drug diversion type program he was free to practice without having to notify patients. This poor lady pretty much got butchered only to find out her doctor was in his third round of rehab that he had already flunked 3 times. She only found out later that he was in rehab for his DUI and they had smelled alcohol on him at one of her post op visits.
I'll see if i can find the link. It was pretty shocking the stories of people who had been operated on by substance abusing docs and the fact that they were free to practice within the law.


ETA:

Addicted Doctors Allowed to Treat Patients by Many State Medical Boards

Date Published: Wednesday, December 19th, 2007
Drug and alcohol addicted doctors are not barred from practicing medicine, even when state medical boards have confirmed their substance abuse problems. Most states have confidential substance abuse rehab programs allowing physicians to continue practicing medicine as long as they continue treatment; as many as 8,000 doctors may be in such programs. These arrangements remained under the public radar until California’s medical board ended its program when a review concluded the system failed to protect patients for medical malpractice or help addicted doctors. Opponents say the medical establishment uses confidential treatment to protect dangerous physicians
Doctors accused of botching operations while in treatment have led to criticism of programs that allow physicians to keep their addictions confidential. Most addiction specialists favor allowing doctors to continue practicing while in confidential treatment, as does the American Medical Association. Supporters say patients harmed by doctors in treatment are rare and would pale next to leaving physicians no such option. “If you don’t have confidential participation, you don’t get people into the program,” said Sandra Bressler, the California Medical Association’s senior director for medical board affairs.

California’s program ends June 30. If an alternate is not adopted, rules could revert back to the zero-tolerance policy in place when doctors with substance abuse problems were stripped of their licenses. Between 10-15% of physicians nationwide will have a substance abuse problem at some point in their lives, similar to that of the general population.
http://www.newsinferno.com/archives/2236

 

[Buzz Mills]

Interestingly I was listening to the radio today and they were talking about bad surgeries and doctors that abuse drugs and alcohol. This particular doctor was a plastic surgeon and he had been convicted of DUI on HIS WAY TO SURGERY.
As long as he entered into a drug diversion type program he was free to practice without having to notify patients. This poor lady pretty much got butchered only to find out her doctor was in his third round of rehab that he had already flunked 3 times. She only found out later that he was in rehab for his DUI and they had smelled alcohol on him at one of her post op visits.
I'll see if i can find the link. It was pretty shocking the stories of people who had been operated on by substance abusing docs and the fact that they were free to practice within the law.


ETA:

Addicted Doctors Allowed to Treat Patients by Many State Medical Boards

Date Published: Wednesday, December 19th, 2007
Drug and alcohol addicted doctors are not barred from practicing medicine, even when state medical boards have confirmed their substance abuse problems. Most states have confidential substance abuse rehab programs allowing physicians to continue practicing medicine as long as they continue treatment; as many as 8,000 doctors may be in such programs. These arrangements remained under the public radar until California’s medical board ended its program when a review concluded the system failed to protect patients for medical malpractice or help addicted doctors. Opponents say the medical establishment uses confidential treatment to protect dangerous physicians
Doctors accused of botching operations while in treatment have led to criticism of programs that allow physicians to keep their addictions confidential. Most addiction specialists favor allowing doctors to continue practicing while in confidential treatment, as does the American Medical Association. Supporters say patients harmed by doctors in treatment are rare and would pale next to leaving physicians no such option. “If you don’t have confidential participation, you don’t get people into the program,” said Sandra Bressler, the California Medical Association’s senior director for medical board affairs.

California’s program ends June 30. If an alternate is not adopted, rules could revert back to the zero-tolerance policy in place when doctors with substance abuse problems were stripped of their licenses. Between 10-15% of physicians nationwide will have a substance abuse problem at some point in their lives, similar to that of the general population.
http://www.newsinferno.com/archives/2236

It's frightening to think of being operated on by a doctor who is really having a bad day.

 

[JBean]

It's frightening to think of being operated on by a doctor who is really having a bad day.

Buzz they were talking to people that were just butchered. It was really sad.

 

[JBean]

This is the doctor they were talking about on the radio. They were interviewing this lady on the radio:

Opponents of California's program have focused on the case of Dr. Brian West, a Long Beach plastic surgeon who has been accused of negligence by the state medical board and is fighting to keep his license.
In 1999, West performed a double mastectomy and breast reconstruction surgery on Becky Anderson. The procedure left her with gaping, infected wounds that wouldn't close and, ultimately, a grotesque lump the size of a melon caused by organs spilling through an unhealed hole in her abdomen.
Weeks before performing his final, futile procedure on her, West was arrested for a drunken-driving accident.
After his conviction, West entered the diversion program for alcoholism. A year later he performed a tummy tuck on a 37-year-old woman that also healed poorly.
West ultimately flunked out of the treatment program after investigators uncovered a pattern of relapses, binge drinking and doctored urine tests that "demonstrate that he is a physician who has been long and chronically impaired by alcohol," according to a 2005 medical board complaint.
West's supporters say he has been made a scapegoat, asserting that he is not to blame for his patients' complications and that the severity of his drinking problem has been exaggerated by investigators. "I have no information from any of my investigations that Dr. West has ever cared for patients while under the influence of alcohol," said his attorney, Dominique Pollara.http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5gF-iyTZ5VM1mb1eQq2yiGxORItZgD8TK1IN00

 

[kylie]

Oh, please...........financial "misconduct?" I am a teacher and am severly underpaid. I did not pay my student loan payment last month. Should that be public knowledge? Without due process this information should not be made public. Lack of privacy for me is just one step away from lack of privacy for you....and you wonder why the average teacher stays in the field only 5 years??
Get over yourselves....you have no right to my financial information..I teach kids you'd never go near....we are going down a very dangerous road with the mob mentality and lack of privacy.....
The information in the files consists of teachers behind on student loans..not teachers "skimming." And by the way, how would we skim? We have no access to district funds...we don't handle money... As usual, the actual culprits, the district beauracrats who waste money left and right are not your target...its always the people with the least power you go after......

"Holding a license is a privilege?" I worked for that license and paid college tuition for that license. It is not a privilege, I earned it..............the next time you speed I think your license should be revoked...after all, you easily could have killed someone........

 

[JBean]

I have a CA state license to sell real estate. if I am reprimanded or disciplined in any way the information is available at our state DRE website. I have no problem with it and don't think it is a big deal at all. Part of the territory when you are licensed by the state.

http://www2.dre.ca.gov/PublicASP/pplinfo.asp

ETA: I am kind of surprised this information hasn't always been available.