Gov. Nixon to ask General Assembly to Repeal Law Concerning Online Teacher/Student Communication

Update at 1:02 p.m.

Missouri Governor Jay Nixon has issued a press release announcing that he will ask the General Assembly to repeal specific provisions concerning teacher-student communications that were included in Senate Bill 54.

The bill was passed unanimously by both the House and Senate earlier this year. 

“In a digital world, we must recognize that social media can be an important tool for teaching and learning," said Nixon in the press release. "Because of confusion and concern among educators, students and families over this specific provision of Senate Bill 54, I will ask the General Assembly to repeal that particular section," he added.

Senate Bill 54, known as the Amy Hestir Student Protection Act, includes a number of additional provisions that protect students from sexual misconduct and will not be included in this addition to the special session call.  Those provisions include: 

• Requiring disclosure of substantiated allegations of sexual misconduct by a former employee of a school to a public school that inquires about potentially hiring the employee;

• Requiring that reports of sexual misconduct by a teacher or employee be forwarded to the Department of Social Services within 24 hours for an investigation;

• Requiring annual background checks of teachers

• Requiring immediate suspension of school employees upon substantiation of sexual misconduct;

• Banning registered sex offenders from running for and serving on school boards;

• Requiring school districts to include training on the signs of sexual abuse in employee training;

• Establishing that crimes relating to sexual misconduct are a basis for discipline and the revocation of teachers’ licenses; and

• Creating a Task Force on the Prevention of Sexual Abuse of Children (“Erin’s Law”).

“Although this legislation included a number of vital provisions, it’s clear this one particular section is causing substantial confusion and concern among teachers, students and families,” Gov. Nixon said.  “For that reason, it’s important that we repeal this specific language during the upcoming special session, while we continue to work together to ensure the safety and protection of Missouri’s children.”

Original Story

The Missouri State Teachers Association (MSTA) has been awarded an injunction to stop a new Missouri social networking law from taking effect on Sunday.

"We just found out about two minutes ago. We're wrapping our heads around it, but this is a good resolution at this point," Todd Fuller, MSTA director of communications told Town and Country-Manchester Patch.

As previously reported by , the Missouri State Teachers Association (MSTA) is suing the state over the new law which would prevent students and teachers from having conversations that could not be accessed by school administrators and parents. This means they could not be friends on Facebook.

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Senate Bill 54 is sponsored by former Ladue school board member and Missouri State Senator Jane Cunningham (R-Chesterfield). She said the bill is designed to protect students. However, MSTA said the law could inhibit a teachers ability from communicating with students through Facebook or text messaging, which have become common methods of communication.

MSTA filed the lawsuit Aug. 19 and named Missouri Governor Jay Nixon and Attorney General Chris Koster as the defendants.

The law was set to take effect Sunday, August 28, but a judge awarded the injunction that Turner said takes effect immediately and lasts 180 days.

"We're really happy because the judge realized that there is an issue with this particular section of the law," Fuller told Patch. "But the bigger issue is that we don't have to rush to create the language. At this point, we have time to review the issue."