Photo by Paul Martinka

As of Thursday another city teacher was arrested and accused of maintaining a sexual relationship with a student. And this is right after Mayor Bloomberg just held a conference to discuss the behavior as becoming an epidemic within city limits and surrounding areas. There will be a no tolerance policy enforced (as if there isn’t already strict regulations) against any and all reported cases. Looks like words weren’t quite heeded.

Police charged Erin Sayar of James Madison High School in Brooklyn with rape, sexual misconduct, and sexual abuse. The relationship included sex in an SUV outside the student’s apartment building and an exchange of 19 phone calls, approximately 4,000 text messages, and Facebook communication.

The bigger question now is to what extend are schools taking to screen teachers. In many cases these teachers did not have any previous record of misconduct so it’s hard for the schools to base hiring on assumptions and character judgment. In other words, is there really anything that can be effectively done as preventative rather than post-misconduct.

The New York Department of Education has a lot to consider when it comes to the continuing problem. But for the time being all they can do is work to fire teachers found guilty of sexual misconduct with students, not only in Brooklyn but all five boroughs.