School District ends background checks for volunteers

[DanceswithDisney]

I am so excited. Our school district has ended the practice of collecting information for "background checks" for those who wished to volunteer in the classroom. If you wanted to come for an end of term or holiday party, you had to submit to a background check. If you wanted to come read once in the classroom you had to submit to a background check.

After yet another teacher was accused of being in a sexual relationship with an eighth grader, the local tv station started asking questions. It turned out there was no actual background check being conducted as there was no money in the budget when they were furloughing teachers. There was absolutely zero evidence that this theater exercise did anything to keep kids safer.

Several parents have said they would volunteer at the school now that this useless practice has ended. They did state they would check the sexual offender database but admitted it will do nothing to find someone who has never been caught.

This only applies to volunteers in the class room or day trip fieldtrips, it will not apply to overnight field trips for the older grades.

This makes me so happy.

 

[wvjules]

So if you volunteered in October you would need another background check run if you volunteered again in December? That's excessive. BUT I have no problem with a one-tine background check. Once it is done it is done and is good for the year.

 

[cabanafrau]

Sure wouldn't make me happy. Maybe I've just seen and heard too much at this point.

I know our district runs the checks. Back when one of our DDs was in MS she came home and said her teacher heard I would be a great parent to ask to chaperone their field trip. I couldn't do it -- nor did I want anything to do with getting on a bus full of middle schoolers, but DH was interested in the trip & got the forms to be background checked so he could chaperone. We were contacted by the administrator who ran the checks because his came back denied. Caused a bit of a panic because his job allows him access to sensitive computer networks and so his background checks are important for his continued employment. Turns out because his name is so common they messed up and had gotten a return on someone else with the same name by accident. Crisis averted. He went on the trip. Came back with a monster headache. Shocking.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

Pennsylvania just started requiring background checks, but at least we don't have to pay for it now. And they are good for 3 years I think.

 

[THEDISNEYTHREE]

That news would not make me excited either. I am curious now if our school system actually runs the background check now. I am in the process right now of filling out the form so I can go on my son's field trip. We also have to show them our driver's license first time we volunteer in the school for the year. You only have to do it once for the year here.

 

[LisaR]

I am so excited. Our school district has ended the practice of collecting information for "background checks" for those who wished to volunteer in the classroom. If you wanted to come for an end of term or holiday party, you had to submit to a background check. If you wanted to come read once in the classroom you had to submit to a background check.

After yet another teacher was accused of being in a sexual relationship with an eighth grader, the local tv station started asking questions. It turned out there was no actual background check being conducted as there was no money in the budget when they were furloughing teachers. There was absolutely zero evidence that this theater exercise did anything to keep kids safer.

Several parents have said they would volunteer at the school now that this useless practice has ended. They did state they would check the sexual offender database but admitted it will do nothing to find someone who has never been caught.

This only applies to volunteers in the class room or day trip fieldtrips, it will not apply to overnight field trips for the older grades.

This makes me so happy.

I'm confused. Were they not running background checks on parents that wanted to volunteer or were they not running them on the teachers? Or both?
The places I volunteer at require the volunteer to pay for the background check. It really isn't that expensive and I don't mind paying the fee. Most are good for three years.

 

[Chelley00]

Our school system requires a background check to be on file for anyone who volunteers. They encourage parents to above one done at the beginning of school and it stays on file for awhile (I think 3 years) before you have to have it updated.

I work at a church that houses a preschool and parents day out program and we run background screenings on anyone who will be anywhere near kids (teachers, youth group volunteers, all staff etc) every 5 years. It's required by our insurance

 

[wvjules]

I'm reading the OP as they WERE running background checks and now they are not. Personally, I would prefer that they would. I like the idea of one being good for 3 years.

 

[ELSA711]

I will gladly pay the fee for the background check and have nothing to hide. It takes literally 2 seconds online where we live.
I am proud of my school district on their security measures and is one of the reasons I picked the school

 

[tvguy]

Interesting.
We started doing background checks on EVERYONE in contact with players in Little League 15 years ago. Little League only required you to check the Megans Law database. It may make some parents feel safe, but the reality is, in almost every case where there was a problem, the person involved had a squeaky clean criminal background check.
I always told parents to make sure there were multiple adults at evens with the kids, and encouraged parents to stay and watch practices, or drop in at random times to check on their kids.

Not sure how a public school can end the background checks. Probably a very bad idea.

 

[tinkerbellandeeyor]

I am sorry I would rather bite the cost of a background check every 3 to 5 years and knowing w that the kids are safe

 

[Allison]

Why does it make you happy?

 

[dadtoagirl03]

My daughter's school better not allow anyone into her class without a background check or I'd raise some major heck! Nuts not to do all you can to protect the children even if it is a small inconvience for volunteers.

 

[Chocolate Cake]

I think what the OP is saying is that the "background checks" were fake. Basically, you filled out your information and it got thrown away. No "check" was ever performed. And for that, she/he is happy because it was a waste of time and a false sense of security.

Sort of like the bag checks at WDW

I would want a REAL background check done at every school. I can't understand how the solution to "fake" background checks was to have no background check. Weird.

 

[EMom]

I am so excited. Our school district has ended the practice of collecting information for "background checks" for those who wished to volunteer in the classroom. If you wanted to come for an end of term or holiday party, you had to submit to a background check. If you wanted to come read once in the classroom you had to submit to a background check.

After yet another teacher was accused of being in a sexual relationship with an eighth grader, the local tv station started asking questions. It turned out there was no actual background check being conducted as there was no money in the budget when they were furloughing teachers. There was absolutely zero evidence that this theater exercise did anything to keep kids safer.

Several parents have said they would volunteer at the school now that this useless practice has ended. They did state they would check the sexual offender database but admitted it will do nothing to find someone who has never been caught.

This only applies to volunteers in the class room or day trip fieldtrips, it will not apply to overnight field trips for the older grades.

This makes me so happy.

You seem pretty giddy about people having access to children without first having to undergo a background check. Not the reaction I would have, but then background checks don't make my heart skip a beat.

 

[MrsDuck]

I'd much prefer excessive background checks over none.

ETA: I realize in the OP, the background checks were more of a facade but the principle still stands!

 

[EMom]

I think what the OP is saying is that the "background checks" were fake. Basically, you filled out your information and it got thrown away. No "check" was ever performed. And for that, she/he is happy because it was a waste of time and a false sense of security.

Sort of like the bag checks at WDW

No, she seems to be saying a great deal more than that. The part about people finally being willing to volunteer now that they will not be subject to a background check makes sense to her. To me, that raises an eyebrow.

 

[design_mom]

Our district requires parents to be fingerprinted/background checked to volunteer at the school in any capacity. Parents have to pay for the background check and it costs almost $60. (It is good for several years, so I guess there's that.) Parents who are just visiting the school, but not volunteering, do not have to have a background check.

I don't mind the rule for parents who will have unsupervised access to the kids. I think it's smart then, even though it won't prevent all problems. (One year, I helped students 1:1 who were struggling with math. We were in plain view in a hallway, but it was still me with a student.) However, another year all I did was make copies and no students are allowed in the copy room so I had no direct interaction with students. I was required to get my $60 background check to make copies. Parents who want to read to the class, while the teacher is present, also have to get the background check. Really, what's going to happen there? If EVERYONE in the school had to have a background check, that'd be another story, but anybody can come in to have lunch with their child, attend classroom parties/presentations, etc. All they have to do is sign in at the office, no background check. So it's not like the school is a "closed environment" with only background-checked adults.

 

[Chocolate Cake]

No, she seems to be saying a great deal more than that. The part about people finally being willing to volunteer now that they will not be subject to a background check makes sense to her. To me, that raises an eyebrow.

That would be weird to be excited for that. What parent would be happy that potential offenders are now allowed in a classroom?

OP? Can you clarify.

 

[Ladcassidy]

To volunteer at our parochial school, parents (and others) have to complete a training course and also submit to a background check.