Washington's superintendent of public schools wants to exempt teachers from background checks that are designed to detect sexual predators:
As legislators move toward passing a package of bills targeting sexual misconduct by school employees, a new amendment would significantly weaken the intent by exempting teachers from full background checks.Oddly enough, the only reports I've ever read about sexual abuse in schools involve teachers and certificated coaches, but not janitors or secretaries.
Under the amendment proposed by the state Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI), staff members such as janitors, secretaries and nonteaching coaches still would have to undergo full background checks. But all certificated employees would undergo less-thorough checks.
The state school superintendent, Terry Bergeson, is a fomer president of the state's largest teacher union. Hmmm.
Posted by Stefan Sharkansky at February 23, 2004 10:55 AMLooks like they are emulating the Catholic Church's management techniques.
Posted by: Reid on February 23, 2004 12:10 PMThe (former) President of Emory U wanted to establish a drug testing program that would be required of all new employees--except professors.
Posted by: David Foster on February 23, 2004 01:05 PMIs the cost of the background checks the concern? Or what?
Posted by: Jacqueline on February 23, 2004 08:59 PMJacqueline, the children's home where I volunteer manages to do complete background checks on all their employees and volunteers so I'm thinking the schools could afford it too. This is the union protecting its membership at the expense of those they claim to care most about, nothing else.
Posted by: Carol on February 24, 2004 05:39 AM