Fingerprints to be a parent..?

[jud4420]

So my wife want to be a room parent this year. For those of you who do not know what that is.. You sign up help run a valentines day party or Halloween or something the likes of. She did this when our oldest child was in kindergarden but missed the singups last year for first grade because they wanted a child clearence and background check that she was unaware of till it was too late to register.

Now this year she goes and pick up the papers to get her clearences, $10 for child clearenc, $10 for background check... O.K. fine i can understand that, were trying to keep our kids safe.

But then the next page is a Fingerprint order for $40.... what? What for? What is that going to find that the others dont?

So i call the school. The Ass. Superindendant (who was actually principle for most of last year) informs me that the fingerprints were started in april of last year, but the clearences have gone on for a few years now. I asked if she was sure about that and she said absolutely. I asked my wife and she is certain she did not have to get them when our child was in kindergarten. When i tell the Ass. Super this she says it possible my wife slipped through the crack. WHAT ! ?

So what is the point if some parents are slipping through the crack. Every parent that did have it done that year completely wasted their money if parents are "slipping through the cracks".

Now im waiting to hear back from the Superintendent himself obout the legalities of the fingerprinting. I personally dont have a problem with background checks for the parents. But trying to put us all in a Federal database for being a parent..?

Oh we'll see about this.

Did you have to get a fingerprint to be a parent?

[Swarner793]

Full disclosure here, I am a Private Detective as well as a Loss Prevention/Security Manager for a large company.

I have no problem with Background Investigations. In God We Trust, all others we verify. I believe it is appropriate to check the background of anyone who is interacting with children. I do not believe the fingerprints are to be "kept on file" as much as used to compare against a "persons prohibited" list (persons with known criminal records). I agree, if the prints are maintained because she wants to volunteer at the school, that is silly.

I guess I am rather immune to the entire fingerprint thing. A cursory review tells me between my licenses, certifications and clearances I have accrued over the years, the State and Fed. Authorities had recorded mine over a dozen times. So it is too late for me to complain about it now

Be safe.

Scott

[str8shooter]

IIRC, a few years ago a convicted child molester just moved from state to state getting jobs in or near schools. Even as a registered sex offender in one state, he managed to keep his teaching credentials and his background checks came up clean when he applied for new teaching jobs. It wasn't until he was fingerprinted for a job in VA, that they found out he was a RSO in several states. I did a quick google to see if I could find anything about it, and was surprised to find it actually happens a lot. Not just state to state, but sex offenders were getting clean background checks to get a job within the same city after getting fired from a different school district.

Background checks are only as good as the company you pay to do them, and like any business, there are those willing to take your money and give you less than the service you paid for.

[shefearsnothing]

We don't have to get that done here. It's the child abuse clearance, criminal backround check, and then you have to get a TB test done too. You only have to get this stuff done ONCE though so if you get it all clear ONCE and you go commit some crimes before the next school year, you're good. Now tell me THAT is not messed up!

And while we're on the subject....there is a parent who is VERY active in the PTT (same as a PTA) and all the school functions at our school who has a FILTHY FILTHY FILTHY mouth around kids. Yes, I use profanity in my posts at times and if I choose to swear around MY kids that is ONE thing but I have HEARD it out of her mouth on SCHOOL PROPERTY around OTHER kids and it just INFURIATES me that number one the principal hasn't caught her and number two that she's allowed to interact with these kids. Last year her son was in my daughter's class and I told the principal that if she was to volunteer to be a room parent under ABSOLUTELY NO CIRCUMSTANCES was she to have ANY contact with my daughter. NONE AT ALL. I later found out she was walking her son to class every morning and talking with my daughter.....oh yes, heads did roll!

[jud4420]

Well again, i have no problem with the child clearance, & criminal backround check. But dont your fingerprints give access not only to any convictions as does the background, but any investigations as well? And isnt that private information? Im pretty sure it is.

I mean i know theres nothing there for them to find out in our case but its the principle. My fingerprints are in the system so again its irrelevant for me, but hers aren't, and she does not want them there.

For once she's supporting me being an advocate instead of just rolling her eyes. lol

[ChamberedRound]

Personally, I have a problem with all of it. No parent should have to sign more than a liability waiver to volunteer time for the benefit of the school and their child(ren). There's no need for the administration of the school to delve into the private lives and records (or lack thereof) of parents simply because those parents want to help out.

I don't know about anyone else, but between the kids and the PTA/PTO, those places are veritable rumor mills. If any background checks are being performed, then some of the personal details of those checks are bound to make it out into the open, at least within the parent's circles. People's personal privacy shouldn't be put at risk for doing a good deed.

What's next? Are they going to background check the children and prevent them from attending school if they find something they don't like?

[shefearsnothing]

ChamberedRound, you DO know you can just pull the stuff up on pa webdocket, right? I know what the school is doing is more thorough but for example, the parent I have a problem with, I have read up on both her AND her husband and while they obviously have nothing keeping them from being so heavily involved in the school related stuff they have an interesting history to say the least.... Now I have not made it my mission to run at the mouth to ANY other parents at the school about this woman and her husband. That's just me. Even if someone else from my kid's school is here reading this they have no idea who I am talking about. If a concerned parent ever asked me I'd just tell them they would have to do their own homework. What I'd REALLY like to know is the woman's maiden name....I bet there's even more dirt under that name but I guess she gets to keep that much private from those who don't know her that well.

I would have a SERIOUS issue if I found out there was anyone involved in any of the school stuff (parties, field day etc) who had some kind of questional criminal history. You know some of these kids still need a little assistance in the bathroom.... (our school has an all day k-4 program).

[338winmag]

So my wife want to be a room parent this year. For those of you who do not know what that is.. You sign up help run a valentines day party or Halloween or something the likes of. She did this when our oldest child was in kindergarden but missed the singups last year for first grade because they wanted a child clearence and background check that she was unaware of till it was too late to register.

Now this year she goes and pick up the papers to get her clearences, $10 for child clearenc, $10 for background check... O.K. fine i can understand that, were trying to keep our kids safe.

But then the next page is a Fingerprint order for $40.... what? What for? What is that going to find that the others dont?

So i call the school. The Ass. Superindendant (who was actually principle for most of last year) informs me that the fingerprints were started in april of last year, but the clearences have gone on for a few years now. I asked if she was sure about that and she said absolutely. I asked my wife and she is certain she did not have to get them when our child was in kindergarten. When i tell the Ass. Super this she says it possible my wife slipped through the crack. WHAT ! ?

So what is the point if some parents are slipping through the crack. Every parent that did have it done that year completely wasted their money if parents are "slipping through the cracks".

Now im waiting to hear back from the Superintendent himself obout the legalities of the fingerprinting. I personally dont have a problem with background checks for the parents. But trying to put us all in a Federal database for being a parent..?

Oh we'll see about this.

Did you have to get a fingerprint to be a parent?

i did not have to get them to be a parent but my company dose a lot of work in schools and we have to do it every year

[Swarner793]

I would have a SERIOUS issue if I found out there was anyone involved in any of the school stuff (parties, field day etc) who had some kind of questional criminal history. You know some of these kids still need a little assistance in the bathroom.... (our school has an all day k-4 program).

I agree, the obligation is for a safe environment, not being concerned about hurting someone's feelings.

On another note, PM me your subject's current name, I can probably tell you you her maiden name

Be safe (and informed).

Scott

[jud4420]

The school is trying to lump us in with teachers, school administrators, and student teachers, all employees who have a choice. I have a right to be involved with my child's school experience without being subject to a federal database.

Or at least you would think.

They even included with the papers a copy of the Penn. School Code of 1949, House Bill 185 (act 114) - which covers perspective employees, even the food service people at the school, but not parents.

I just dont see where they think they have the power to request this info.