My original post-
I recently discovered a CFII I know, one who in my opinion is one of the best out there, was convicted after admitting guilt and served time, for aggravated sexual assault on two boys ages 13 and 14. After reviewing the regs I saw that the ATP is the only rating requiring good moral character. How is this conviction not a disqualification for a CFI? How do you justify putting this former teacher back in a position of power over young adults?
Now let me expand on that-
I have been out of aviation for a few years, mainly due to not being able to afford to continue training, and now that I can I have decided to finally get my CFI. I chose to attend a school that has an excellent reputation in my area and I have been attending weekly classes for CFI candidates to get together and discuss any topic we choose and for my FOI ground. The CFII in question ran the class, a man I have known for several years but never really got to know until the past month or so. He is one of the most knowledgeable, patient, well spoken instructors I have ever met and he absolutely gave me the confidence I was looking for in someone to get me through my CFI training.
In the world that we live in we are blessed to have such great technology at our fingertips- the internet. Being the person I am, I like to run my own background check on people I spend amounts of time with. Someone I am going to spend thousands of dollars and countless hours with, they are definitely getting google searched by me. Well I searched him! What I found were two articles, one when he was arrested and describing in detail the acts he committed, and the other about his sentencing and admittance of guilt to aggravated assault on children, possession of child pornography, and books on pedophilia. I took these articles at face value and confirmed that my instructor was indeed the man in these articles by looking on my states registered sex offender webpage, which low and behold had his picture. I also learned in my background check that this man was a former professor and grade school teacher, a well liked man, and these acts tore his community apart.
Yes, sure, maybe he is not guilty, maybe he admitted guilt to receive a lesser sentence, who cares? That's not my point.
Now let's pretend he is absolutely 100% guilty, no doubt about it, he savagely raped children. This man served his time, is he ever going to be able to teach in a grade school again? Don't you think that would cause a national uproar? ALifeAloft posted some great info on pedophilia earlier- you cannot be cured, it is a sexual orientation, a predisposition, he is what he is, we can only rehabilitate to the point of controlling his desires. He will forever be a monster.
What I wanted to discuss was how a man with this background, is in, and was able to put himself, in another teaching position. Why do you think he chose the position he did? Granted maybe 1 out of 100 of his students will be in his preferred age group but don't you think that is one too many? (This CFII does fly with teenagers) Why even risk the chance of something happening again? Because he paid his debt to society and deserves to be trusted again? Someone who we know to still be attracted to minors? I find that outrageous, and yes it is only my opinion, and I feel if you think it's fine for him to have that 1 out of 100 opportunity you need to realign your own moral compass. PilotFighter, do you see a moral problem now? What he did is no different than what Sandusky did. What does my opinion mean to you? Not a thing, I'm just looking for your opinion to help me wrap my head around this, to give me another view point.
I would also like to pose the question- Why is the ATP the only license that requires you to be of good moral character? Don't you guys feel that teachers should be moral too? Should it only be up to the schools to run background checks or should the FAA run them for instructors as well?
Don't you guys worry, I'm not on a witch hunt. I'm not ruining lives or reputations. I came across a situation that rubbed me the wrong way, especially because there is history of abuse in my family, and I will absolutely not be giving this school another dime of my hard earned money. The man needs to be able to make a living, I just wish it was running cargo, not teaching.
Food for thought.
Thank you all for your contributions and insight.