Felon wants to become a teacher ~ Jobs for Felons: How felons can get jobs

Hello there,

Thank you very much for this resource. I am a 26 year old woman looking to get a teaching certificate. I would like to teach elementary, Jr. High, or High School. I was given a deferred sentence in 2013 for Felony Menacing. Again, the charge was deferred and I successfully completed my probationary term. As I understand it, there was no plea of guilty and I was not charged. I was told that law enforcement and other government agencies will have access to view the record of the arrests. Does this disqualify me from working with children and becoming a teacher? I still have to get my teaching certificate and would really, really like to do so. I just need to get the appropriate information to ensure that this is possible and that I will not run into any trouble with this situation.

If you can provide me with links and resources I would greatly appreciate it.

Thank you for your time and service,

Randi

Felon wants to become a teacher

Hello Randi,

Generally speaking, in cases like these, upon completion of your probation, the charges are formally dropped. You will have an arrest record but no conviction record. I can't see that being held against you. I don't see any reason you cannot become a teacher. To be absolutely certain, you can contact the prosecutor who was associated with your case to make sure the charges were actually dropped.

For anyone else who is considering teaching but have criminal records, don't assume you cannot get a teaching certificate. If your conviction is not directly related to the job you are looking for you may still be able to be certified. My suggestion is to contact the board of education where you would like to teach. There should be someone who could direct you to the state certification board to determine you eligibility.

I hope this helps.