The Trump Administration is launching a nationwide crackdown on school districts that facilitate the transfer of predatory teachers to new positions . this effort targets the "passing the trash" phenomenon by investigating 20 districts and threatening the removal of federal funds.
The 1-in-10 statistic and the "passing the trash" cycle
The Trump Administration is targeting "passing the trash," a practice where schools transfer predatory teachers to new roles instead of disciplining them. This phenomenon involves concealing sexual offenses and recommending offenders as good hires for other districts. according to a Breitbart News investigation,nearly one in ten students will be subjected to sexual misconduct by the time they graduate from high school.
This systemic issue is often enabled by what Secretary McMahon calls "institutional silence and complacency" within school districts and teacher unions.. To combat this, the administration is leveraging the 1972 Title IX amendment, which requires schools to respond to sexual harassment in a manner that is not "deliberately indifferent." Additionally, the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) requires local districts receiving federal funds to prohibit the quiet removal of perpetrators through job assistance at other institutions.
The LAUSD and United Teachers of Los Angeles agreement
The Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) has become a primary target of federal scrutiny due to its specific labor agreements. The Education Department is investigating an agreement between LAUSD and the United Teachers of Los Angeles that allows teachers to be reassigned rather than terminated or removed from student-facing roles during misconduct investigations. These investigations cover allegations ranging from maintaining "romantic" relationships with students to creating child pornography and failing to report suspected abuse.
Survivors and therapists noted in the report that these experiences lead to long-term emotional and behavioral issues for millions of teenagers. Experts cited in the report suggest the actual percentage of misconduct may be higher than one in ten due to a "culture of permissiveness" that discourages reporting by students, fellow teachers, and administrators.
California's 67 unrevoked licenses and the threat of lost funding
California is emerging as a focal point for the administration's efforts to enforce federal compliance. As reported by Breitbart News, at least 67 cases have been identified in California where educators' professional licenses were not revoked after they were found to have committed sexual misconduct this decade. secretary McMahon has promised that districts failing to follow federal laws will face the loss of federal funding, which most districts rely on for local programs.
This issue was recently highlighted in Sacramento, where victims and safety advocates lobbied Democratic lawmakers to prevent measures that would cap financial compensation for victims of government employees. Even with the appearance of child safety advocate Chris Hansen, lawmakers recently moved to increase the standard of proof for older cases rather than limiting lawsuits against predatory teachers.
Who else is on the Department of Education's investigation list?
While the Department of Education has confirmed it is investigating 20 school districts, several details of the crackdown remain unverified.. It is currently unknown which other specific districts are on the list of 20 suspected of non-compliance beyond the focus on California and Los Angeles. Furthermore, while the administration is targeting "institutional silence," it remains to be seen how much of the current investigation is a direct response to the ACLU's previous legal challenges regarding reporting rules.
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