Fincher wants to fix Alabama’s tenure law

By Jennifer J. Foster

Remember a few weeks back when we talked about Charlene Schmitz, the former Alabama teacher convicted of a sex scandal involving a 14-year-old student?

Thanks to Alabama’s flawed tenure law, Schmitz continues to receive her paycheck, nearly 16 months after a jury found her guilty. She’s made about $70,000 since she’s been sitting in prison.

Well, it was just a matter of time until someone filed a bill to fix this madness. That someone is State Rep. Chad Fincher.

From the Associated Press:

A bill being drafted by state Rep. Chad Fincher would automatically revoke the certificates of teachers who are convicted of felonies or crimes involving children.

Under Fincher’s proposal, those teachers would immediately be fired upon conviction and they would lose their pay and benefits. He said the bill was inspired by the case of former Washington County teacher Charlene Schmitz, who is in federal prison but continues to draw pay and benefits more than a year after she was convicted of luring a student for sex.

“Here we’re spending taxpayers’ money to pay a teacher that’s sitting in jail,“ the Semmes Republican said. “We won’t continue to pay a teacher found guilty of a crime in this state if this law passes.“

... Fincher’s bill, which was reported Monday by the Press-Register, would revoke a teacher’s certification automatically upon conviction, ending employment and pay. He said it could be a top priority for House Republicans and that many people he has spoken with are outraged about the Schmitz case.

But what about teachers who are eventually cleared on appeal?

Fincher said that his bill will allow reinstatement of a teacher’s certification should the conviction eventually be overturned, but he wasn’t sure if back pay would be provided in such cases.

That sounds like an area where some compromise could be reached.

So ... here’s a question: If this bill is going to be a priority for House Republicans, when can we expect House Democrats to come up with their own version?

Because if they don’t, we’ll be left with the disturbing realization that they are just fine with the law as it is.

Come on, Democrats. Can’t you shake off the iron hand of the AEA just this once, for the sake of common sense?

Ala. Planned Parenthood in trouble?

By Jennifer J. Foster

It sure sounds like it.

From the Associated Press:

Attorney General Troy King has asked for a copy of an audio tape of a Birmingham Planned Parenthood staffer allegedly saying rules are sometimes bent at the clinic.

The tape was made by a California-based group, Live Action, that is against abortion and has done similar operations at clinics in other states.

To make the tape, the organization said Lila Rose posed as a 14-year-old girl who was impregnated by her 31-year-old boyfriend and needed a secret abortion at the clinic last year.

Rose, who is a 20-year-old student, said the clinic staffer told her the manager “sometimes does bend the rules a bit” by not informing police of sexual abuse.

Yeah. That’s illegal. Staffers at abortion clinics, like other medical personnel, are required by law to report suspected child abuse to the proper authorities.

Isn’t it sad—disgusting, really—that it would ever cross anyone’s mind not to?

Anyway, Live Action employees say they will send King the tape for his review. In addition, according to the group’s web site, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office is also investigating.

It may or may not surprise you to hear that Birmingham’s Planned Parenthood clinic is just the latest affiliate to be accused of such ... rule-bending.

You can check out Live Action’s web site—which includes a handy, interactive “Violations Map”—here.