The New Jersey Department of Education is still holding off releasing information related to the background checks of 4,702 board members and trustees in the state of New Jersey. In January, the state said approximately 100 of the 4,700 members failed to meet the December 31st deadline date to register and complete their background check and submit it to the state.
http://liarcatchers.com/background_checks.html
Under state law, board members have 30 days to submit a criminal background check or face removal from their elected position. The state extended the criminal background check deadline this year to January27th in light of confusion with the new law.
According to Alison Kobus, Communications Director for the New Jersey Department of Education, a report may be released as early as next week.
According to the law, board members with prior convictions including, but not limited to Reckless Endangerment, Criminal Restraint, Criminal Mischief, Burglary, Usury, Threats, Resisting Arrest, Escape or Bias Intimidation would be deemed ineligible to serve as a school board member in the state of New Jersey.
“There are no exceptions for board members/trustees to continue to serve without having submitted to the criminal history record check,” the state said in a statement.
For now, the state has granted a temporary reprieve for those board members who either refused or did not submit to a criminal background check.
So far, at least 12 board members in New Jersey have been disqualified for previous criminal convictions.
School Board members are entrusted by the community with the care and management of local school districts. They represent the elected officials for local residents and are tasked with making sure their district runs efficiently and effectively.
Typically, school board members are not granted any access to children in school or in extracurricular activities, but are frequently seen on the sidelines at local school sporting events, engaging athletes and making appearances at school functions. It is the reason the state acted to enact legislation requiring background checks.
In October, an Ellicot, Colorado school board member was arrested on charges of Sexual Assault on a Victim under the Age of 15 by a Person in a Position of Trust after attempting to lure a child with the intent to exploit according to court documents.
In November, a Lyle, Washington school board member was under investigation for sexually assaulting a 16 year old girl at the school’s volleyball game after grabbing her by the waist. He was removed from the board pending an investigation.
In December, a school board member in Virginia was sent to jail for sexual assault after being accused of trying to remove the bikini bottoms from 12 year old girl while making sexually suggestive comments.
The legislators and governor in the state of New Jersey acted quickly on the new school board criminal background check legislation, which is the cause of the current confusion and delays, but the NJ Department of Education said today that the final list of board members deemed ineligible should be released in the coming weeks.
The department would not comment on any board members or school districts at this time.
