Editorial: School safety at stake

Monday, Jan. 17, 2005 | 8:52 a.m.

There is no state law requiring Nevada school districts to share information about disciplinary actions taken against teachers. The result is that a teacher could be fired from one district and his record would not show any problem when he applied at another district.

Keith Rheault, Nevada's superintendent of public instruction, says teacher offenses are not always brought to the attention of the Nevada Department of Education. The department itself makes public any discipline against a teacher's license. But he said individual districts sometimes allow an offending teacher to "leave quietly."

The Clark County School District plans to ask the 2005 Legislature for a law putting a stop to this practice. The law would require all 17 school districts in the state to notify the education department anytime there's an allegation that could result in a teacher's license being revoked or suspended. If the allegation leads to discipline, there would be a record that would show up in a routine background check.

We believe such a law would create a safer environment for students and district employees.