The State Board of Education is reopening a discussion about how to make prosecutors do a better job of reporting felony convictions. The Board of Education wants their help weeding out problem teachers.
In August, the board revoked the licenses of six teachers who had felony convictions. Four of those teachers had been convicted of sex offenses against minors.
Kansas law requires prosecutors to report all felony convictions to the Department of Education on a regular basis. The department checks that list against employee rosters. Though this is a requirement for state prosecutors, there are currently no penalties for not complying. Only 14 of the state's 105 county prosecutors have filed any such reports in the past two years.
Board members will take up the issue tomorrow, while discussing their agenda for the Kansas Legislature's 2014 session.