State lawmakers are working on a bill its sponsor believes is necessary to curb sexual abuse of students by Oklahoma school employees.
Senate Bill 392 would prohibit school district employees from helping a colleague get a new job in a different district if they know or have reason to believe that person is engaged in an illegal relationship with a student. The bill's author, Sen. Kyle Loveless, said Oklahomans have become desensitized to such behavior.
"Just last week, like I mentioned, there was a coach literally in bed with a boy, and guess what? Did it make the news? No. You want to know why? We're numb to it," Loveless said.
Loveless did not elaborate on the incident, nor was he pressed on it.
Sen. Ron Sharp said it’s unfair to make a law essentially based on rumors.
"Every male football coach, basketball, tennis coach who leaves a district will always carry with them rumor that that's the reason why they're leaving the district," Sharp said. "You've got to understand, in your public school system, it is a system of rumor."
Loveless answered some colleagues on the education committee who raised concerns of circumventing due process for the accused.
"So, we need to be mindful of what's at stake. We need to be mindful of the lives that will be shattered if we don't — and it's a systematic problem," Loveless said.
The bill narrowly passed committee but will be changed before further Senate and House votes.
