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SALT LAKE CITY — A former Davis High teacher is scheduled to hear her fate Thursday for engaging in sexual conduct with three of her students.
So far this year, the State Office of Education is investigating three additional cases that involve a teacher's sexual misconduct with a student, and a new Utah law is broadening awareness.
In April, Brianne Land Altice pleaded guilty to three counts of forcible sexual abuse, a second-degree felony. In exchange for her plea, prosecutors agreed to drop 11 other felony charges against the former English teacher.
The deal spared the victims from a trial, and one of the mothers expressed relief.
“I don’t think any of us were looking forward to a trial and having to rehash the whole situation again,” the woman told KSL in April.
But the statistics show these cases are more rare than the headlines lead a person to believe.
In Utah public schools, there are 33,000 teachers and administrators. The Utah Professional Practices Advisory Commission is investigating 43 cases of impropriety, and three of those cases involve sex with a student.
“When you compare that to the number of teachers that’s relatively small,” said Ben Rasmussen, who leads UPPAC. “If they are caught, that’s the end of their teaching career.”
A criminal conviction means the loss of a teaching license, but an acquittal could still mean the loss of the license because UPPAC’s burden of proof is lower.
Rasmussen said 24 percent of UPPAC's investigations this year involve things ranging from boundary violations all the way to sexual activity with a student.
“One thing I think that has been emphasized very heavily is reporting needs to get better, especially in these types of cases,” he said.
At Utah’s legislature, the issue of teachers crossing the line with students isn’t going unnoticed.
Rep. Daniel McCay, R-Riverton, sponsored HB 345, making it "no longer possible for a person convicted of a felony of a sexual nature never to teach in our classrooms anymore,” he said on the House floor.
The law took effect July 1.
Sen. Aaron Osmond, R-South Jordan, talked on the senate floor about how it tightens up the penalties for these cases.
“Those that abuse children will never come back to the classroom,” he said.
But what about prevention?
In Part 2 of the series set to air Friday morning on KSL Newsradio, experts and educators talk about the keys for teachers, parents and students, and it starts with communication.
