Rash of sex charges against Georgia teachers

A rash of allegations about sexual misconduct in Gwinnett County schools highlights how difficult it can be to detect and stop relationships between teachers and students before they cross a line.

Three educators in Gwinnett, Georgia's largest school district, have been arrested this school year on sexual misconduct charges. Police are investigating a fourth for allegations she had sex with a 17-year-old boy.

In most of these cases, records show, school officials learned of the allegations after a parent or student reported it. Georgia law requires teachers and school administrators to report suspicions of inappropriate contact, but experts say that doesn’t happen often enough, for a variety of reasons.

It's unclear how big a problem inappropriate teacher-student relationships are, because no one is keeping count. They are handled on a piecemeal basis here in Georgia and across the nation. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution took at look at the issue here and talked to experts who explain what happens when teachers cross the line.

About the Author

Eric Stirgus

Eric Stirgus joined The Atlanta Journal-Constitution in 2001. He is the newsroom's education editor. Born and raised in Brooklyn, N.Y., Eric is active in the Atlanta Association of Black Journalists and the Education Writers Association and enjoys mentoring aspiring journalists.

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