Maryland bans sex offenders from public schools after Project Baltimore investigation
Students throughout Maryland are now safer in school. Following a Project Baltimore investigation, Governor Larry Hogan has signed a new law making Maryland the first state in the country to ban registered sex offenders from being students inside public schools.
The new law bans convicted sex offenders from attending Maryland public schools, while setting up alternative means to educate them outside the classroom. Previously, sex offenders could receive special permission by school administrators to enroll. Now, this new law includes a penalty of up to five years in jail and a $5,000 fine if someone knowingly allows a sex offender on school property.
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Did I read the article correctly?…..That a 21 year old was attending that high school as a student? That’s the bigger question. How was that allowed?
My thoughts as well. Rather than look at each individual they make this blanket ban. Which we all know how that goes. Simply put, legislators are to lazy to do any real work or reform that would be beneficial.
It’s egregious to not allow children in schools to finish their educations in a positive social environment. The state may be able to set up “programs” to educate them through high school but that lacks the social interaction and growth necessary to become healthy adults.
I think the more egregious effect is that not only does it place the child/young adult on a registry that brands them for life, it stops them from getting a higher education.
They (the state) are “sentencing “ these kids to a lifetime of menial employment. It takes away whatever chances they have to overcome the effects of the registry and show the world that they’re not the monsters they’re portrayed as. It affects them and the family they may have for a lifetime. I feel that almost 100% of these kids would be at a near 0 risk of reoffending.
If ever there was an example of a sex offender registry being a lifetime “sentence” this is it.
What about all those young teens and children that sex text each other, got caught and now have to register as a sex offender. How do they get schooling, prom, graduation, ect. They are going to denie them education. So sad.
Has Maryland prosecuted any teen for sexting?
Makes you wonder exactly how many of those CHILDREN ON THE REGISTRY committed a new offense. I bet i know how many. It rhymes with hero.
Good Job Maryland!
Wasn’t the law passed in response to a juvenile RSO who reoffended in school?
No. A victim saw her abuser at school. Teen victims don’t want their abusers attending school with them.
No again. This law was passed when a 21-year-old registrant was admitted into that high school and committed another sex offense. When I read that, the only question I had was, why was a 21-year-old admitted into that high school? I would think that was inappropriate, even without his criminal record. All states have other means of adult education, and this situation would have been avoided had he been properly sent to one of those.
Out of curiosity, what about dope dealers and gang members? They still run in most schools, but I don’t see anything about banning them. Maybe it does exist – I don’t know. But it’s certainly not publicized.
Unfortunately, it’ll be a long while before they realize how stupid, overreaching, and unnecessary this law is.
That has always been a concern of mine….law enforcement, politicians and the news outlets LOVE to publicize when a convicted sex offender is in the area….but they show absolutely no concern when there is a convicted murder or drug dealer living in your neighborhood where, I believe, there is a far greater concern and risk of violating their release. Unreal.
Sure am glad all those kids are safe from the 5 year old who gave another student a hug a few years back. Oh, the horror.
Maryland put a 5-year-old on the registry??
…” a penalty of up to five years in jail and a $5,000 fine if someone knowingly allows a sex offender on school property.” So, they .ade a law that will punish more people. It’s no wonder we have the highest incarceration rate of all nations on the planet.
So if a parent has a registered child in the car when he picks up a second child at school, that parent would be subject to prosecution? Brilliant!!
Of course an option would be to leave the first child on the street outside of school grounds where she would immediately be snatched up by all the registered adults lurking near the school. (tongue-in-cheek)
Veritas.
And the parent charged with endangerment to the child they had to leave out of the car unattended. This is ridiculous. The Covid pandemic showed how many negative side effects there were to online schooling. We just love to erase issues and act like they never happened rather than find a true solution the issues.