Records obtained from the Virginia Department of Education through a Freedom of Information request reveal several Hampton Roads teachers have recently lost their licenses for a range of offenses.
A Virginia Beach teacher lost his license after being convicted of a DUI and solicitation of a prostitute in February.
A Chesapeake special education teacher was fired after she failed to adequately supervise students. Two students ran away and were found by police on a nearby street in July of 2025, according to the records.
A Suffolk teacher did not report students smoking marijuana in a classroom closet to parents or administrators and was found guilty of contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
In Virginia, teachers undergo an extensive criminal background check, and their names are run through the clearinghouse for the National Association of State Directors of Teacher, Education, and Certification, known as NASDTEC.
Jimmy Adams, executive director of NASDTEC, said the process helps school districts make informed hiring decisions.
"It really helps that school district make an informed decision about the people they are hiring, and it also helps them to communicate to their community that they are doing things above and beyond doing their due diligence to try to make sure they're hiring the right people," Adams said.
The investigation also uncovered new cases of people from other states who got into trouble and then attempted to obtain a teaching license in Virginia.
One man was convicted in Florida in a sexual battery case involving an exchange student who was staying at his house. Court records outline how he gave the student cannabis-infused chocolates and alcohol one night while watching a movie together, then assaulted the teen.
A woman was barred from working in Virginia after it was revealed she had sexual misconduct charges from New York. Another former teacher from Ohio was denied a Virginia license after she completed a test for a student and then texted it to the student.
Adams said the clearinghouse has identified individuals who lost licenses in one state and then sought employment in another.
"We have found people that have lost a license, and they've now moved into the location, and they're applying for a job in the system," Adams said.
WTKR will continue to monitor the names of those who lose their licenses. In some cases, the actions are not criminal but are considered inappropriate, preventing teachers from returning to the classroom.
