Tougher penalties pursued by states

Heeding a steady drumbeat of sexual misconduct cases involving teachers, at least 15 states are considering stronger oversight and tougher punishment for educators who take advantage of their students.

Lawmakers say they are concerned about an increasingly well-documented phenomenon. When abuse happens, administrators too often fail to let others know, and too many legal loopholes let offenders stay in the classroom.

"We've got to be on a bully pulpit with our school districts," said Missouri state Rep. Jane Cunningham. The Republican's legislation would eliminate statutes of limitation for sexual misconduct, allowing victims to come forward and bring charges against abusers no matter how many years had passed since the crime.

In New York, Gov. Eliot Spitzer supports automatic suspension of teachers convicted of sex crimes, which now requires lengthy hearings. In Maine, Gov. John Baldacci hopes to share the names of abusive teachers with other states, which a 1913 confidentiality law there prohibits. In Florida, Gov. Charlie Crist endorsed federal legislation proposed by U.S. Rep. Adam Putnam, a Florida Republican, to create a national databank of abusive teachers, a hot line for complaints and federal funds for state investigators.

Kentucky and South Carolina are considering making it illegal for teachers to have sex with older students.

Several states are tackling a major problem -- loopholes that allow problem teachers to move from one district to another, or from one state to another.

Some say the latest legislation is just the beginning. South Carolina has created a committee of parents, teachers, social workers and prosecutors to study the problem and come back with new ideas.