Checking past doesn’t predict future actions
Posted on Sunday, September 16, 2007
While cr iminal background checks may help reveal a teacher’s past, they don’t predict the future.
Take 53-year-old Robert Richards, for example. The teacher’s aide was hired by the Fayetteville School District nearly nine years ago after passing his initial background check. It wasn’t until last week, however, that Richards was arrested for possessing multiple images of child pornography. Richards, who was employed as a special education aide for Leverett Elementary at the time of his arrest, has since been suspended and is currently awaiting his arraignment.
“ When you do a back- ground check, if there’s been no crime committed at that time, they pass the screening, ” Greg Mones, director of Human Resources for the Fayetteville Public School District, said.
Mones said all school employees must undergo extensive federal and state background checks — monitored by the Department of Education — prior to their employment with the school district.
“ We take fingerprints and send them to the Arkansas State Police so they can run a check on them, ” he said. “ The police send the results to the Department of Education. They get the results and compare them to see if anything in their background pops up. ”
In addition, Mones said the school district conducts state background checks on the Arkansas State Police Department’s Web site.
“ We do a social security and name check on their Web site, ” he said. “ We can get preliminary results back in 24 hours. ”
Mones said teacher aides must undergo the same background check as teachers before being hired by the school district. But while teachers must undergo repeated background checks every five years when they renew their teaching certificate, Mones said teacher’s aides are only required to pass one initial screening.
“ Teachers are screened periodically by the Department of Education, ” she said. “ Anytime they renew their license, the Department of Education automatically performs a background check. Teacher’s aides don’t have to have a license. ”
Mones said teacher aides are required to have a high school diploma or a general education degree to be eligible for employment. In addition, they must pass 60 hours of college course work or pass the Paraprofessional Exam.
Mones said the role of a teacher’s aide varies from school to school.
“ It depends on the situation — whether it’s a kindergarten aide or a literacy aide or whatever, ” he said.
While specific duties may differ, the overall responsibility of a teacher’s aide remains roughly the same.
“ Teacher aides provide reinforcement to the activities or lessons a teacher has already taught, ” Debra Wilson, director of special services for Leverett Elementary, said. “ They assist teachers with lesson plans and getting the material together. They also assist with behavior management and maintenance of the classroom, as well as assistance in the lunchroom, at recess and bus duty. ”
Wilson said all teacher aides work under the direction teachers.
Mones said background checks for both certified and noncertified school employees in Arkansas don’t require mental evaluations.
“ If, during the employment of teacher, the district finds out that a certified employee pleads guilty or is charged with a felony or misdemeanor, we are supposed to report that to the Arkansas State Board of Education, ” he said.
Despite Richards ’ recent arrest, Mones said school officials remain confidant in their background screening requirements.
“ There’s no changes being made that I’m aware of, ” he said. “ The most recent change in the Arkansas Department of Education was being able to get online background checks from the Arkansas State Police. That’s been up and running for at least a year and a half. ” Though the human resource depar tment is responsible for conducting background checks for potential school employees, Mones said it’s the school principal who has the ultimate say of who is hired.
Leverett Elementary Principal Cheryl Mones couldn’t be reached for comment Friday.
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