Bad teacher. No apple. Actually, it's worse

The South Carolina Education Department is putting a new twist on the idea of transperancy by posting online all disciplinary actions against teachers, reports the Charlotte Observer.

Last year, 82 teachers had their licenses revoked or suspended. Of those, approximately 50 percent were disciplined for improper acts against students, either sexual or innappropriate physical discipline. Some of the teacher falsified credentials or commited academic fraud. In all, there are 291 names posted thus far.

"Our goal here is to make government as transparent as possible and to ensure the public has access to as much information as possible," state education Superintendent Inez Tenenbaum said. The Palmetto State Teachers Association, however, thinks the Internet posting is a bad idea, director Kathy Maness said. "I realize it's a public record, but it doesn't have to be blasted across a Web page," Maness said.

Although some feel that the posting will help deter problems, othe feel that it will deter teachers from choosing the profession.

While the information should be public, posting it on the Internet is "unfair," said Bob Hazel, a Columbia attorney who has represented teachers who belong to the association. He said the public airing of disciplinary actions could make some people decide against a teaching career.