The United States was “discovered” by people hoping for second chances. The pilgrims, persecuted for their religious beliefs, arrived in search of the chance to practice their beliefs. And poverty-entrenched immigrants who landed here in the early 20th century were seeking a second chance at a richer life.

Second chances form a major teaching in many United States religions: Go forth and sin no more. And our penal system is based on the theory (but not always the practice) of allowing the bad guys and gals a second chance to get out of prison and then do some good with their lives.

Businesses and communities often give second chances to those who steal money or machinery or fail at their jobs due to addictions. We have a popular culture that thrives on second chances for troubled film and TV stars.

But second chances for abusing teachers? Shouldn’t happen. But it does. An Associated Press story in Sunday’s Spokesman-Review told of 2,570 reported cases of educator sexual misconduct between 2001 and 2005.

This is not a new story. In 1988, The Spokesman-Review did a six-part series, “A Trust Betrayed,” that looked at abusing teachers. And in 2003, the Seattle Times focused on school athletics in its “Coaches Who Prey” series.

Despite the awareness raised by those investigative series, and despite the million-dollar Catholic Church settlements paid in recent years because abusing priests were allowed to switch churches, some teachers who abuse find their way back to classrooms. They are given second chances.

They talk their way back in. They explain how they got help. They promise to “sin” no more. And it’s tempting to give that second chance, especially if you’re an administrator in desperate search of teachers to instruct in your poor, inner-city schools. Or an administrator with impossible-to-fill math and science slots.

The reason second chances don’t work with abusers? Some were attracted to teaching, coaching and other children’s programs because that’s where the children are. And pedophiles can amass astounding numbers of victims. A study done in the 1980s for the National Institute of Mental Health found that 403 molesters had abused more than 67,000 children.

Teachers, coaches, child care workers, clergy members and youth leaders who abuse – and get caught (many unfortunately don’t) – should get some help and then work with machinery or with adult men and women.

There can be no second chances when it comes to the safety of our children. No second chances in the classroom, the school gym, the youth organization, the child care center, the Sunday school.

Talk nasty to children, touch them suggestively, flirt with them, stalk or groom them, look at kiddie porn on your computer, and you need to be out of the lives of our children. Forever.