A bill changing the way schools deal with juvenile sex offenders in the classroom is headed to the governor’s desk.
State Sen. Clyde Chambliss, R-Prattville, sponsored the legislation. The Senate on Tuesday afternoon concurred with amendments added in the House version, clearing the way for the bill to get the governor’s signature making it law. Chambliss’ bill expands the pool of people notified of low risk juvenile sex offenders to include the superintendent of education and each individual board of education member.
It also addresses enrollment of convicted juvenile sex offenders. It calls for the Alabama Department of Education to craft an enrollment policy that addresses a statewide framework. But the bill leaves it up to local boards of education to decide if low risk juvenile sex offenders are allowed in a classroom setting.
The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency is charged with maintaining the registry of juvenile sex offenders. ALEA also maintains the statewide adult sex offender registry, which is open to public view. ALEA classifies juvenile sex offenders as to their risk to re-offend; low, moderate and high. One of the amendments in the House version of the bill calls for a judge to decide if moderate and high risk sex offenders are allowed in a classroom setting.
Segregation, stigmatization, enhanced surveillance, these are the ropes Alabamba is using to strangle its youth.