It was just alerted to the students of Washington state university- Pullman campus that's a registered sex offender has moved into the area and has been attending classes. This naturally disturbed many students who have had classes with Lawson already unaware of his past and criminal record. Many feel this is something student's should have been made aware of before classes started. This also goes for the whole three weeks we have been in school unaware of the registered sex offender.

This has upset a large number of the student population especially given the crime committed. It would be best for the safety of the students and pullman community for this pedophile to be removed and not allowed to attend classes. It has concern a number of student's aswell that pullman is a very family centered campus with children being on campus a lot of the time. Aswell as having a number of parks in the area one which Lawson lives just a block away from. This has raised concerns that he is not here to study but instead have access to the children in the area

Joel Vance Lawson is a level 3 sex offender. He was arrested after sexually assulting a 9 year old boy who was entrusted in his care. He has shown many times to have fantasies about his prior victim's and broke his parol many times by going to places where children commonly gather. He also is living just a few streets down from a park.While he is free to live where he wants many students want to make it known that he is not welcomed nor wanted here.