A policeman who works in a central Missouri school district underlines the need of the legislature to require districts to ban private social media contact between students and school employees. 

A proposed law saying all school districts must have a policy in place by March first is ready for senate debate. It targets adults who use social media such as Facebook to contact students and have sexual relationships with them.

Eldon school district resource officer Thomas Wright says he has uncovered several cases of sexual misconduct in the school districts he’s worked in.  He urges lawmakers to pass a new bill correcting some problem language in a law passed earlier this year.

Wright says social media sometimes makes it easier for adults to take advantage of children. He says every case of sexual misconduct between a school employee and a student has involved social media such as Facebook or text messaging. 

The sponsor of the bill, Senator Jane Cunningham of Chesterfield, says she got the idea for the original bill from a five-year Associated Press study that showed 2500 educators had lost their licenses because of sexual misconduct.  

The senate education committee unanimously recommends the full senate approve the proposal and send it to the House.

Listen to Education Committee meeting 33:40