Ohio House Passes Legislation to Hold School Employees Accountable for Misconduct

COLUMBUS – The Ohio House of Representatives today passed House Bill 147, legislation improving the State Board of Education’s ability to hold school employees accountable for misconduct, announced bill sponsor, State Rep. Sarah Fowler Arthur (R-Ashtabula).

House Bill 147 will treat a teacher who retires under investigation of misconduct will be treated the same as a teacher who resigns under the same circumstances. 

“I believe this loophole should be promptly closed to ensure that due process is followed, students and teachers are protected, and district hopping to avoid consequences of bad behavior is no longer allowed,” said Fowler Arthur.

The other provisions included in the bill are:

• Adds engaging in prostitution to the list of crimes for which the State Board must deny renewal of an educator license;

• Requires public and chartered nonpublic schools to report to the State Board when a substitute teacher is removed from the eligible substitute list for conduct unbecoming to the teaching profession; and

• Prohibits an educator whose license has been revoked from being an employee or contractor of a community school.

The legislation now moves to the Ohio Senate for consideration.