GAO Issues Report on Sexual Abuse of Kids in K-12 Schools
An investigation by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) has unveiled that K-12 schools across the country continue to hire people who have sexually exploited or targeted children in the past because they did not practice due diligence during the hiring process.
The GAO compared school employment databases from 19 states and Washington, D.C, in between 2007 and 2009 to the National Sex Offender Registry to find cases of sexual abuse that resulted in a criminal conviction.
In investigating known cases of sexual abuse by school employees, the GAO found that people with histories of sexual misconduct were hired or retained as teachers, support staff, volunteers, or contractors. In 11 of the 15 cases the GAO reviewed, the offenders previously targeted children. In six cases, the offenders used their positions in the schools to abuse more children, according to the
