Amy Hestir gave a personal testimony of rape to the Senate Education Committee today in an effort to support a bill.

Intro: A personal testimony of rape was told to the Senate Education Committee Wednesday in support a bill to keep sexual predators out of the classroom.

Lauren Stenzel has more from Jefferson City.

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Republican Senator Jane Cunningham sponsored a bill to create the "Amy Hestir Student Protection Act."

If passed, the act would require public schools to immediately report any sexual allegations against a teacher to the state.

Amy Hestir, the bill's inspiration, told the Senate Education Committee about a high school relationship she had with a teacher that quickly turned inappropriate.

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Description: "That teacher is the first boy I ever kissed, he's the first boy I ever hugged, he became the first boy I ever had sex with. And when I said I didn't want to do those things anymore he raped me, and it has haunted me all of my adult life."

Hestir said that teacher is still manning a classroom in Southeast Missouri.

Both Cunningham and Hestir say the bill could reduce sexual misconduct in the state's public schools.

Reporting from the State Capitol, I'm Lauren Stenzel.

Intro: A rape victim describes her painful story to a Senate Committee to stand up for students.

Lauren Stenzel has more from Jefferson City.

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Republican Senator Jane Cunningham proposed a bill Wednesday that would require schools to immediately report a teacher that has been accused of sexual misconduct.

Amy Hestir gave a personal testimony of being raped by her high school teacher to the Senate Education Committee.

Hestir defended Missouri students against sexual predators in the school system.

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Description: "I guarantee you a hundred percent of those five-year-olds that enter kindergarten are innocent, and should remain that way at the hands of anybody that's a teacher."

Opponents of the bill believe that it strips teachers of their privacy rights, and changes the law to guilty until proven innocent.

Cunningham says that the bill would create stricter background checks for teachers, and include all allegations of sexual misconduct.

From the state capitol, I'm Lauren Stenzel.

Intro: A senator takes a stand for students.

Lauren Stenzel has more from Jefferson City.

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Republican Senator Jane Cunningham proposed a bill to the Senate Education Committee that would require public schools to report to the state if a teacher has been accused of sexual misconduct.

Cunningham talked about how Missouri ranked in a national AP investigation.

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Description: "Unfortunately Missouri ranked eleventh worst in the nation for the number of educators who lost their license for sexual abuse and misconduct."

Cunningham wants the bill to eliminate unreported sexual misconduct, and to improve background information for hiring schools

Opponents to the bill believe that it would strip teachers of their rights and make them guilty until proven innocent.

Reporting from the state capitol, I'm Lauren Stenzel.

Intro: A rape victim poured her heart out to a Senate Committee in support of a bill on Wednesday.

Lauren Stenzel has more from Jefferson City.

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Republican Senator Jane Cunningham proposed a bill Wednesday that would require schools to immediatley report teachers that have been accused of sexual misconduct to the state.

This bill was inspired by Amy Hestir, who was raped by her her high school teacher.

Hestir testified in front of the Senate Education Committee on Wednesday about her experience.

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Description: "He raped me, and it has haunted me all of my adult life. He's still a teacher today. He left Moberly, he went to Kirksville. He left Kirksville, he went to Columbia.He left Columbia, and he still teaches in Southeast Missouri.

This bill would include sexual misconduct allegations on teacher records so hiring schools would have more accurate background information.

If the bill is passed it would be called the "Amy Hestir Student Protection Act."

From the State Capitol, I'm Lauren Stenzel.