police check

[damo]

Our board of education has implemented a ruling where all volunteers in schools (pizza helpers, fundraising helpers, photocopying helpers, etc.) must have a police check. This means that any parent who wishes to volunteer in any form must first have the $15 police check cleared before they can help in the school.

Anyone else have this ruling and what do you think?

 

[Bouncy]

We have it over here and I think it is a very positive thing.I have worked in various regions in Scotland and I have had a police check done for each one.
I would rather know that my children are safe at school and agree wholeheartedly with this.

 

[Kermit]

It would be nice if it were free (that's something the PTA could raise money for), but I think it's necessary. And really, most of the parents who can volunteer will have the $15. Most families I know that can't spare $15 are families in which both of the parents work long hours and they don't have the free time anyway.

 

[Blondie]

It's a shame it's come down to this, but in order to keep our kids safe (or as safe as they can be) I'm all for it.

 

[Saffron]

As an education major at a local university, I'm required to have a police check/clearance and a child abuse background check/clearance before I can step into any of the schools I go into each semester. I'm all for it.

Our church also requires a police and child abuse background check if you are volunteering to teach or head any of the Sunday School classes or youth groups.

The only draw back is that a police background check will only check for arrest records in the state in which the person applies. An FBI check will check for records across the country. They cost more and you have to be finger printed by your local police, but I think they make more sense.

Police background checks/clearances won't stop a person from commiting a crime, but they are a small step in the right direction, IMO.

 

[browneyes]

They don't have that at my kids' school. The teachers have to go through the background check, but not the volunteers. They accept all volunteers. I wish they'd implement the system you have.

 

[minnieandmickey]

Here you have to have your finger prints done to volunteer($10) or to work for the school district, this is actually a state law now . Parents are not allowed on campus without signing in at the office. Unfortunately the reason this became law was because a teenage girl was raped and killled by a janitor that was a ex convict.

 

[damo]

Here's my take on the situation.

1. Is there such a rise in incidents of volunteer abuse that this is necessary or is the abuse in schools coming from students and strangers?

2. Does a police check make you a safe volunteer?

3. Does a failed police check make to an unsafe volunteer?

4. Is this going to have a negative impact on the number of volunteers needed at a time when government funding in limited in the schools?

5. Are students required to have police checks to attend school?

6. Is this going to discourage occaisional volunteers from helping out?

 

[Kallison]

I agree with employees of the school district getting a background check. I think requiring volunteers is a bit extreme. Perhaps requiring volunteers that are not parents. It is not foolproof, as others have said it is only for the state you are in.

 

[gepetto]

I wouldn't have a problem with it...but then I do a lot of volunteer work at the school. I think it would discourage the people that can't come in very often. They may not want to pay the $15 fee and go through all the trouble just to volunteer once or twice a month.

 

[WDW2002]

Good for the school, I take this as a very positive step. Especially for those who spend time with the children or for the parents who drive on school field trips.

 

[Lars624]

I was the VP of the local co-op preschool for two years & we had to run checks on anyone who would have any dealings w/ the children. We didn't have any problems & no one objected to it. My friend teaches catecism at her church & when they announced they would be checking backgrounds about 1/2 of the people quit. Kinda makes you wonder what they had to hide huh?

 

[honeywolf7]

The only thing that seems strange to me is that if you are a teacher or an education major, they only check child abuse records in the state you are looking to work in. That means you could abuse a child in one state and then move to another state and be a teacher as long as you weren't criminally charged with child abuse.

 

[Serena]

As a crossing guard I had to go through all the checks, fingerprinting and all.
The school requires a background check too, and since I had the other, they figured I was alright. Besides my kids have been going to that school for 10 years and I've volunteered for most of it.

 

[bfeller]

I have volunteered all through my children's school careers and now I am a substitute. I think it is a good precaution.

 

[mickey65]

It has been in place with the school board I work for since 1998. Teachers are required to have a full check (paid by the board) and volunteers have just a regular check (also paid by the board) If we don't have an up to date check..we do not get paid.

 

[BrerMom]

It's sad, but it's a good thing. Think how often a volunteer takes a child out of the classroom for one-on-one help, such as extra practice reading or finishing a test. In this day and age, better safe than sorry.

If they are going to volunteer their time, I do think there should be a way to cover the cost for them.

More and more churches are doing this. I had to agree to the background check AND sit through a three hour class that I could have taught. I think that fell under the "better safe than sorry" umbrella, too: teachers have been taught how to protect kids, but not all know how to treat kids with respect.

 

[Jennyfyar]

I wish our school distirct would implement this policy. I volunteer a lot at my DD's school and would have no problem paying for the check. It's a small price to pay for at least an ounce of prevention. I realize that this will not stop all abuse in the schools, but some safegaurd is better than no safeguard.

 

[iluvorlando]

Orange County does do background checks on school volunteers, but I know I didn't pay for anything.

My church also does checks for Sunday School and AWANA leaders.

I have been fingerprinted and had a background check to teach at the preschool I work at.

I think it is just to protect the children. And if 1/2 of the people quit, you have to wonder what they had to hide.