This makes me wonder who the people are who are teaching OUR children
By ersmommy1
@ersmommy1 (12588)
United States
July 13, 2008 9:03pm CST
Florida teacher is actually a felon say police
teacher Susan Davidson Bell, kindly told another teacher about a job opening at a Sarasota school and offered to take the woman's resume and teaching certificate there when Bell had her own interview.
this is a dumb criminal story, so you won't be surprised to learn that Bell promptly stole the woman's identity, according to cops. Then Bell, a convicted felon, was hired for the $14,000 a year teaching job. Does this make you want to check your teachers credentials or what??
1 person likes this
6 responses
@richiem (3644)
• Philippines
14 Jul 08
You and cobrateacher made good points here. But cobrateacher, maybe
the felon is really not after the teacher job but only using it as
a stepping stone to kidnap a child or rob the cashier's office or do
something more criminal.
Of course you should check your children's teacher's credentials. But
it would be hard to do so as the story has proven that the act has
passed the school scrutiny. You should look for a school that has
more strict procedure or rules in choosing their teachers.
Have Fun!
@cobrateacher (8432)
• United States
18 Jul 08
There are so many safeguards in place that it's highly unlikely anyone with ulterior motives to get past the background checks, fingerprint checks, and very difficult interviews, among other things. We're not hired by a school; the county hires us, and they run checks through every avenue. The interviews are rigorous, and the applicant must know some things that it's very difficult to pick up without intensive study. Once assgned to a school, the person would be questioned by security personnel upon entering the building, then interviewed in great detail by all the administrators. From there, they would be interviewed by the department chairperson, who would be very likely to pick up anything out of the ordinary. Each new teacher has one or two mentor teachers who keep tabs on them, too. All these steps also involve constant observations for the first year of teaching. The best judges, though are the kids. They're trained from the beginning to look out for anything unusual, and they repor it immdiately. They're carefully taught that it isn't snitching when children's safety is possibly in jeopardy.
@cobrateacher (8432)
• United States
14 Jul 08
People in all walks of life have been victims of identity theft. You made a couple of excellent points: she stole the woman's perfectly good credentials! That doesn't indicate at all that she learned anything about teaching. Surely, she would have been found out very quickly. The other excellent point is that it was a $14,000 a year job. Most people wouldn't work for that little, and it's certainly not a job worth stealing if you're in it for money. As that low, low income shows, teachers are dedicated to their profession! Even if she had the job for a few days, it would have become clear quite soon that she had neither the dedication nor the skills to do this difficult, underpaid job!
@mtdewgurl74 (18151)
• United States
21 Jul 08
Wow she stole someone's identity for $14,000 a year that isn't alot. Was she a sub? Most teachers in my area get $35,000. It is a shame she had to resort to stealing someone else's identity to get a job at the school seems like they should have picture I.D's with these credentials nowdays. Now she will spend how many years in prison for $14,000. Shame really. I mean she was already a teacher why lie about herself being the other person?
@stephcjh (38473)
• United States
14 Jul 08
Yes. you just cannot trust anyone these days. everyone needs to have a background check done on them. I cannot believe that alot of people get by with what they do and play it off like they have done nothing right and have good intentions. Yeah right.
@DaddyOfTheRose (2934)
• United States
4 Aug 08
Well, I certainly think checking the credentials of people who work with your kids is a good idea. I hope this shakes up the people responsible and makes them double-check a few more times. Identity theft for a 14k a year job, however, seems really weird.
