Claire Curtis-Thomas, Labour MP for Crosby and chair of the all-party group on abuse investigations, presented a petition of 30,000 signatures supporting the teaching union's campaign to the House of Commons last week.
"In the last few years, thousands of teachers and carers have been suspended from work and arrested and charged with a physical or sex abuse crime that they did not commit," she said.
"Despite the charges being dropped and the teacher or carer being vindicated, the reputations of the individuals concerned and their families in many instances are tarnished for life.
"When teachers and carers are suspended from work, many do not know why until they read their local newspaper and find themselves branded a sex pest. To be accused of being a sexual or physical abuser is too much for some teachers and has resulted in a number of suicides."
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