Nothing was placed into personnel files or the school board minutes to alert potential employers or concerned parents that there had been investigations or court actions. Brad Butler, prosecuting attorney for the 19th Judicial District which includes Carroll and Benton counties, has seen questionable handling of sexual allegations by some schools. The desire to keep things quiet, not necessarily to cover it up but just not to cast schools in a bad light, does happen. Gene Wilhoit, director of the state Education Department's General Education Division, expressed concern but not surprise. There are incentives to keep it quiet.
Negative publicity is a big one, unfortunately.
They let the teacher resign, then the teacher won't be in the system, and no one will know. The state's lethargy benefits teachers convicted of sex crimes against students. That provides ample time for an abusive teacher to apply for a job out of state while still holding valid Arkansas teaching credentials. Nationally, teacher-child sex cases are the most common reason for license revocations. A monthly list is distributed to licensing offices in every state so that the departments can determine whether an incoming teacher has had a license taken away or denied in another state.