Sexual misconduct is the No. 1 reason for Utah teachers losing their licenses in recent years.
The largest segment was caught downloading Internet pornography, said Eileen Rencher, spokeswoman for the state Office of Education. The second-largest group had inappropriate relationships with students.Of 18 teachers who lost their licenses for misconduct in 1999, 10 were for general sexual misconduct. Four had sexual relations with a student.
Since January, five educators have been dismissed for sexual misconduct -- one exposed himself to students, another had a sexual relationship with a student over the age of 18.
In the most recent case, Northridge High School librarian Gary Temple, 46, was allegedly caught naked in a van with a 16-year-old former student. He is charged with unlawful sexual conduct with a minor, a third-degree felony. If convicted, he will lose his license.
With 21,704 educators in Utah, sexual misconduct is rare but disconcerting.
In the past eight years, 69 educators have lost their teaching licenses for sexual misconduct.
In 1998, Weber High School drama teacher David B. Weeks, was convicted of having an ongoing relationship with at least one female student. Former Box Elder School District teacher Luke E. Dalton was convicted of molesting several children in 1997.
Other incidents, which seem less glaring, can still land a teacher in hot water.
North Ogden Junior High teacher Merrill Harris is charged with sexual battery, a class A misdemeanor. Weber County Attorney Mark DeCaria said Harris allegedly touched a student inappropriately in a school hallway in February.
Mike Boyer, the director for the Weber and Ogden Education Association and Harris' attorney, claims the touching was accidental. But if convicted, Harris could lose his job and license.
He is on unpaid administrative leave until the investigation is complete, said Weber School District spokesman Nate Taggart.
Like other states, Utah has precautions to weed out educators from other states with bad records, according to Doug Bates, legal coordinator for the state Office of Education.
Bates helped organize the National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification database, which detects if teaching applicants from other states have lost a license.
In Utah children younger than 16 cannot consent to sex. But if the person holds a special trust over the child, like a teacher or librarian, the age of consent is 18, Bates said.
Teachers are aware of what is acceptable behavior and what is not, said Clearfield High School Principal Mike Timothy. He said educators are also aware that students can fabricate allegations. He said every complaint is taken seriously and followed up on.
"This district has zero tolerance for that type of behavior," Timothy said.