Does your child's school fingerprint you?

[ML_LovesDisney]

Why is that extreme? I'm the vice president of our PTA, but that doesn't necessarily mean that I'm a trustworthy person. Would you trust me to be alone with your children - not knowing anything about me?

I am more than happy to submit to any kind of background check the school requires of me, because I have nothing to hide.

No, I wouldn't and thats why I wouldn't leave my children alone with you. At School events a child is hardly alone. Like AJRitz said above, the actual FACTS prove all of this wrong. Your child has a better chance of being molested and kidnapped by a relative than they do by a stranger. I'm a social worker so I get to learn lots of fun data like this Of course there is danger in the world, but what happened 50 years ago in schools? Fingerprinting, background checks? My parents turned out just fine. There were weirdos and child molesters back then too.

 

[Belle1962]

Mom of one of the kids in my grandson's class:

has been arrested and convicted of a crime at least 3 times that we're aware of. Last one was a FELONY involving children. No other details available.

Yeah--I am super glad my grandson's school runs checks so fingerprinting is the natural progression.

FWIW: We live in a fairly middle to upper class area and this is a private school. Even criminals send their kids to the "better" schools

 

[Alesia]

No, I wouldn't and thats why I wouldn't leave my children alone with you. At School events a child is hardly alone.

That is a false sense of security. I could easily walk into my daughter's school, walk into the bathroom, and wait for a child to walk in there alone.

Like AJRitz said above, the actual FACTS prove all of this wrong.

No they don't. If you can find some facts that prove that background checks have never prevented a child from being victimized, I'd be very interested.

Your child has a better chance of being molested and kidnapped by a relative than they do by a stranger.

That is exactly right. That's why parent volunteers can be so dangerous. I'm not a stranger in my daughter's classroom - those kids know me and trust me. Most of them would be more than willing to go off somewhere alone with me and wouldn't think a thing about it.

I'm a social worker so I get to learn lots of fun data like this Of course there is danger in the world, but what happened 50 years ago in schools? Fingerprinting, background checks? My parents turned out just fine. There were weirdos and child molesters back then too.

That is the same argument that people use when told that their kids have to sit in car seats.

Do I believe that background checks guarantee the safety of our kids? Of course not! But they do help weed out some potential problems.

 

[Magpie]

No, I wouldn't and thats why I wouldn't leave my children alone with you. At School events a child is hardly alone. Like AJRitz said above, the actual FACTS prove all of this wrong. Your child has a better chance of being molested and kidnapped by a relative than they do by a stranger. I'm a social worker so I get to learn lots of fun data like this Of course there is danger in the world, but what happened 50 years ago in schools? Fingerprinting, background checks? My parents turned out just fine. There were weirdos and child molesters back then too.

Actually, you'd be surprised how often children are left alone in schools.

1. I was once - as a parent volunteer - put in the position of helping a 3rd grader with diarrhea. I should not have been put in that position, but I was. And it was just me, and a bottom-less little girl, in a bathroom together. Yay. I got her cleaned up and into a fresh pair of pants.

2. Also - as a parent volunteer - I've taken lone kindergartners to the bathroom. I've walked with them to the library - also alone. There are many times I've been alone with other people's children!

And 3. Several times over the last few years men have sneaked into elementary schools and hidden in girls bathrooms. Once two little first grade girls managed to scream and run away. Another time, a fifth grade girl wasn't so lucky. Now all the schools lock their doors, for the students safety.

True story: Fifty years ago, a child could be molested by her own father and nothing whatsoever would be done about it. No one would believe her if she tried to tell anyone. If the pre-adolescent (!) child was lucky enough to come down with a venereal disease she got sent to a boarding school for wayward girls. On weekends she'd still have to go home to her father.

Another true story: Thirty years ago, if a child was molested it might go to court. But if she was unlucky enough to sprout breasts some time between her attackers arrest and his court date, then the case would be dismissed on the grounds that no jury in the world would believe a young woman like that had been molested. "She just doesn't look like a child," the prosecutor explained, apologetically.

One last true story: A boy in my town, same age as me, was unlucky enough to lose both his parents and end up in the foster system when he was seven years old. He bounced around from one foster home to another, TWICE ending up in the home of a convicted pedophile. How could that happen? Inadequate background checks.

If you are a social worker, then you should know just how far things have come over the last fifty years. And just how lucky your parents were to "turn out just fine" when so many of their peers didn't.

 

[Scurvy]

If you are a social worker, then you should know just how far things have come over the last fifty years. And just how lucky your parents were to "turn out just fine" when so many of their peers didn't.

Excellent point! I really dislike the argument that "I (or my parents, or whoever) didn't have ______________ (insert safety feature here) and I turned out just fine!" Well, that's great. Except for all the people who didn't turn out just fine, and might have if whatever safety feature had been available to them. Why resist making use of something just because people in the past got along okay without it? That makes no sense to me. We might as well skip indoor plumbing, electricity, car seats or any other modern convenience or safety feature just because millions of people "turned out just fine" without them in the past.

 

[declansdad]

No, I wouldn't and thats why I wouldn't leave my children alone with you. At School events a child is hardly alone. Like AJRitz said above, the actual FACTS prove all of this wrong. Your child has a better chance of being molested and kidnapped by a relative than they do by a stranger. I'm a social worker so I get to learn lots of fun data like this Of course there is danger in the world, but what happened 50 years ago in schools? Fingerprinting, background checks? My parents turned out just fine. There were weirdos and child molesters back then too.

There hasn't been any facts presented that have proven anything wrong. As long as your talking about chances, wouldn't you want to use a tool such as this if it helps reduce the chance of anything happening to your child? Comparing it to years ago is not a valid point of comparison. The technology to easily perform these checks did not exist years ago.

 

[arielsleepingbeauty]

It would be with the time and money to be able to volunteer with my DD"s. I usually go on all my DD's school trips and functions. Any parent who wants to participate gets a CORI on them. I have one done every 2 years as I am a social worker anyway. No big deal.
I am glad that the school does this. I don't know all the parents at school. I dont trust my kids to be with just anyone, especially if they have a criminal background.
I actually wouldn't mind the whole world being fingerprinted, that way everyone is in the system and when a crime is committed, it would be easier to identify the person.
I see no problem with it, unless someone has something to hide.

 

[ShannonMB]

The front office does require photo ID for any parent wanting to access the campus, I'm stunned at how often I see parents complaining about this

People are so freaking ridiculous! Maybe THEY don't have a weird/problem custody situation or other such risks to their kids, but why on EARTH should you not have to be who you say you are to pick a kid up from school? STUPID!

Actually, you'd be surprised how often children are left alone in schools.

1. I was once - as a parent volunteer - put in the position of helping a 3rd grader with diarrhea. I should not have been put in that position, but I was. And it was just me, and a bottom-less little girl, in a bathroom together. Yay. I got her cleaned up and into a fresh pair of pants.

Magpie, you have given some outstanding contributions to this thread, and I agree with everything you have said. This, in particular, screamed out at me. My DD is in 3rd grade, and if a parent helper is going to be helping her in a situation like that (and I have no doubt it happens somewhere on a fairly regular basis), then that parent better dang bleeping well have a background check on file!!!!!!!!!!!! I understand that there are sickos out there who haven't committed their crimes of perversion yet, but KEEP OUT the ones who HAVE! SHEESH, no brainer to me.

 

[gina2000]

I've been fingerprinted and had background checks for as long as I've worked....in various fields. Companies use check to protect their assets or their client's assets. Are children any less valuable?

 

[kpgriswold]

All parent volunteers at my son's preschool must submit to a background check and attend a presentation on child abuse prevention. It amounts to a couple of forms and an hour or so of my time. If my older kids' schools required this, I would have no problem with it.

Frankly, if someone has been involved with Child Protective Services because they can't control their temper, or they have a serious criminal record, or a history of alcoholism as evidenced by a string of DUIs, then I don't want them near my kid or in my classroom.

Parent volunteers DO sometimes work alone with small groups, or individual students. I don't see anything wrong with wanting to know some basic info about them beforehand.

 

[TwinsinCA]

Our school has two levels of volunteers. One level only requires a TB test and a couple of signatures. That person can help in the classroom but never be alone with a child. The second level requires the TB test and a background/fingerprint check. With this level of clearance you can take a child into a hallway for testing, be left alone in the classroom, and go on field trips.

The TB test cost me $25 and the background check $50. The only part that made me grumble was having to get a money order for the latter. My "badge" is good for as long as my kids are in this school. I love being able to spend one day a week in class with them, so it was well worth the money and minor hassle for me.

 

[scarlet_ibis]

So all you have to do is get your background check before you arrested. Alrighty then.

(My kids are about 6 years apart. I could conceivably spent something like 19 years in one school system. A lot can happen in 19 years.)

 

[quentina]

I'm so angy right now. I just found out that my child's school is planning to fingerprint and run a criminal background check on any parent who wishes to volunteer in the classroom next year. Not only this, but they plan to charge you $20 and make you eat up what will probably end up being an enitire day proving your identity to them and standing in line at the police station so they can determine if I am safe to be with my own child. NO THANK YOU!!! Is this really what our world is coming to? Since when did we as parents become suspects of heinous acts involving our own children?

I currently volunteer 3 days a week of my own time for free to help out my kid's teachers. I guess next year I'll have alot more free time on my hands because I refuse to follow this stupid, asinine policy. I don't have a criminal record, but am I being unreasonable? Does your school do this?

I can't see how this is doing anything but hurting the children. I don't recall any newsworthy events of parents performing unmentionable acts to children when the teacher is standing right there. The district has already cut it's staff to the bone, now they want to get rid of their volunteers? I truly enjoy helping in my child's classroom, being there for class partys, field trips, ect. Nope. No more. Good luck stupid district ###. Have fun without me.

Thanks for the rant. This one just threw me over the edge.

Yes and too be honest, it is the right thing to do. If you wish to be alone with kids at a school function, you need to have clearances.

I paid $65.00 for the 3 required clearance in our district. For that $65.00, I get to experience elementary school with my kids. Well worth the $$$$.

 

[Priorityonecb]

I have had to have a background check and fingerprints done for every school my children have gone to. I have no problem with this AT ALL. It took all of 10 minutes out of my life. I don't care about me...I care about the other parents around my child and glad I have the reassurance that they have been cleared as well.

 

[DaniB]

Does the school allow children to be on premises while there are no teachers there to supervise? That's really poor planning! Our schools have supervision outside for a set amount of time before and after school, and it states in the school handbook that students are not permitted to be on school property outside of those times. Some parents have been known to drop their kids off early or pick them up late, but that isn't the school's fault. If the kids are hurt when the parents have left them unsupervised outside the school, it's the parent's responsibility and not the school's.

I know you said you understand why they lock the doors. Since you disagree with it, do you have a better alternative in mind? That sort of door policy was enacted in my old school district after a non custodial parent kidnapped a child during the school day. No one knew he had entered the building until a student told the teacher she had seen the child leave with a man. If the other doors had been locked and the man had been required to go by the office it wouldn't have happened. I'm glad most schools have that policy now. I can't think of a good way to keep all the doors unlocked and still monitor who enters the building. Can you?

Sorry for the late response Scurvy. I have not checked this thread since I posted.

And yes, children are allowed to come on to school property before the teachers come out. Our handbook states quite clearly the grounds are only supervised 10 minutes before & after the bell, but say nothing about not being allowed on premises before & after that time frame.

And since the grades go up to grade 8 - most of the older grades walk to school on their own or with other kids. I cannot comment on the odds of an actual abduction taking place (only my opinion) on school grounds - but if a child was actually approached by a stranger or gets injured - its unreasonable (to me) that they cannot enter the school easily for assistance. As a child, I never had a problem getting in to school through any door when needed.

Seriously though - how many parents "supervise" children in Grades 6, 7 and 8? By then, the children are old enough to walk to school and wait for the bell if they get there a bit early. Heck, I was walking to school by myself by Grade 4.

As for the scenario of a person not being able to abduct a child if they enter through the main doors - that depends on the school. For our school, yes, I would say it's possible for someone to enter the school through the main doors and still be able to take a child out. The doors are only locked so no one can ENTER. But anyone can LEAVE through any door. I don't believe our school stops anyone... I have entered the school during school hours many times and have never seen other adults be stopped. Now it could be the two secretaries KNOW the parents and do not bother us. I do not know every parent so most are strangers to me.

 

[DaniB]

Why would a parent drop off their child earlier than the start time. Schools are like any other business teachers and staff get paid to be there at a certain time. For the life of me I can not imagine why a parent would pull up, see no adults are present is the school is closed, and drop their kids off, and leave. Who does that????????

If the school opens 10 minutes prior to the starting time than it seems like common sense that you arrive then or if you arrive early you wait in your car with your child until supervision arrives.

Do you walk/drive/stay with your 12, 13, 14 year old until school opens?

No one out here does. Man, would they be mortified

Ohh, by the way, the school IS open. They have staff there early. It just that all the doors, except the front door, are locked.

For the record, my kids are 6 and 11. I walk my 6 year old to & back from school and stay with him.

Sometimes my 11 year old walks with me. Sometimes she goes with a group of kids from our street. Sometimes they arrive at school a few minutes early, sometimes just in time for the bell. Frankly, I don't worry so much about the abduction part. By the time she gets there - there are already many kids arriving 5-10 mins BEFORE the supervision that I highly doubt anyone would snatch a child.

But some kids do get there early. Those are the ones I worry about not being able to gain access to school in an emergency.

 

[DaniB]

mte!

What does MTE mean?

 

[DaniB]

Second, one of the problems with these checks that I haven't already talked about is the level of incorrect information that many of them include. Current research finds that approximately 20% of the information in a background check is incorrect. Fingerprinting isn't used to eliminate incorrect information, it's used to make sure that they get everything. Meanwhile, information in those background checks is frequently attributed to the wrong person. Individuals with the same name or birthdate can get their information mixed up. Identity theft victims frequently have charges against the people who stole their identities listed on their own reports. Regardless of the reason, in a class of 20 students with two parents each, eight parents will have incorrect information on their background check. If they're lucky, it's just a falsely reported bad check. If they're not so lucky, it's a violent felony criminal charge that belongs on the record of someone else with their name or birthday.

When we do background checks we get sent a copy of what is sent to the schools. This would allow said parent to find the "fraudulant" information and get it corrected. By never seeing your background check means that said "fraudulant" information can remain on there. I just do NOT understand the big deal. I have had the security clearance from the Government as a result of my former job and still do not feel that a background check for volunteering at a school or coaching a sport is that big of a deal. And for most the schools and sports are not going to say you cannot volunteer because you had a disorderly conduct charge back in the day. I doubt they would do it currently either. They are looking for more severe issues like domestic violence, child abuse/child neglect, attempted murder, murder, possible a repeated DUI offender.

Actually Leajesse99, it many cases the "fraudulant"/incorrect information may have not already been ATTACHED to a person's name UNTIL THEY REQUEST A BACKGROUND CHECK! Sorry for the caps - but I wanted to make that point quite clear.

My husband has goverment security clearance as well - no problem. Years later he wanted to volunteer at school and went to the police station for a background check. We received a notice that he needed to phone or go in to the station as they required more information.

When he went in, the officer advised that because there was another person with the same name (first, middle, last) - they required more detailed information including his Social Insurance Number in order to make sure he was a different person. Even though his government issued ID clearly showed a huge age difference.

HOWEVER, that same officer explained they have had issues in the past, where another people ended up with the "twin name's" record suddenly attached to their information afterwards. He wanted my husband to be aware just-in-case though he doubted it would happen again.

So off to the internet we went and found many cases of this happening. So many problems for these poor people. Many times taking years to resolve the issue! And in some cases, even though they were told all was fixed - having problems again the next time they needed clearance, background checks, entering another country or even flying!

He decided it just was not worth the risk. I agree.

But the kids are ok with that. They understand that daddy works, and mommy gets to stay home. Since mommy stays home, mommy gets to volunteer. Daddy spends lots of time after work and weekends with them.

 

[AZMermaid]

My district requires fingerprints and background checks for all field trip chaperones and it is $40. I really don't know if they are required for parent volunteers- I teach 3rd grade and by then, I never get any. They are typically your field trip parents anyway, so they have already been checked. We are only allowed to go on one Field trip a year, so $40 for 6 field trips (K-5th grade) seems like a lot, but that is the society we live in, I guess.

 

[Magpie]

Sorry for the late response Scurvy. I have not checked this thread since I posted.

And yes, children are allowed to come on to school property before the teachers come out. Our handbook states quite clearly the grounds are only supervised 10 minutes before & after the bell, but say nothing about not being allowed on premises before & after that time frame.

And since the grades go up to grade 8 - most of the older grades walk to school on their own or with other kids. I cannot comment on the odds of an actual abduction taking place (only my opinion) on school grounds - but if a child was actually approached by a stranger or gets injured - its unreasonable (to me) that they cannot enter the school easily for assistance. As a child, I never had a problem getting in to school through any door when needed.

Seriously though - how many parents "supervise" children in Grades 6, 7 and 8? By then, the children are old enough to walk to school and wait for the bell if they get there a bit early. Heck, I was walking to school by myself by Grade 4.

As for the scenario of a person not being able to abduct a child if they enter through the main doors - that depends on the school. For our school, yes, I would say it's possible for someone to enter the school through the main doors and still be able to take a child out. The doors are only locked so no one can ENTER. But anyone can LEAVE through any door. I don't believe our school stops anyone... I have entered the school during school hours many times and have never seen other adults be stopped. Now it could be the two secretaries KNOW the parents and do not bother us. I do not know every parent so most are strangers to me.

At least twice (maybe 3 times?) in the last few years, in my town alone, men have walked into a school and hidden in the bathroom waiting for a child to show up.

That's why our schools now lock all their doors, except for the front door, during school hours. Except for during recess, when the doors are open for a short time... and the doors can also all be opened from the inside - that's a necessary measure for fire safety.

All visitors must sign in at the front desk. And the teachers are vigilant - every time I've arrived at school and signed in, a random teacher will always stop me in the hall (as I'm walking to my child's classroom) and ask, "Can I help you? Do you know where you're going? How nice to see you, what are you here for today?"

If a child injures themselves outside school hours, their friends can run the extra few meters to the front door for help. That's where the office is, anyway.