Senator Pat Toomey’s (R-PA) amendment banning schools from recommending child predators for new jobs passed uncontested 98-0 Thursday afternoon. Senate Amendment 2094 added this restriction to the Republican sponsored education bill Every Child Achieves Act (S.1177) sponsored by Senator Alexander Lamar (R- TN).
Toomey said Thursday after the vote:
“We’ve got a problem that is shockingly common across the country. Hundreds of people are being arrested every year for sexual misconduct with the kids they’re supposed to be taking care of.”
Schools are often known for “passing the trash” to other education institutions to quietly remove sexual predators from their faculty. Toomey’s amendment takes a major step in the right direction by protecting children and preventing schools from taking the easy way out. The amendment prevents future incidences and protects children.
“With this big vote today, for the first time the Senate is speaking to the need to ban this terrible practice of passing on these predators (knowingly) to other schools.”
A study by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) determined that 1 in 6 boys and 1 in 4 girls are sexually assaulted before the age of 18. Toomey’s success in the fight against sexual predators could drastically improve these harrowing statistics and make the country’s schools safer.
The Republican Party is once again proving that the majority works. Of the 14 cosponsors, 12 are Republicans. With the new majority, the Senate is finally making progress in education reform and protecting our children.