Ohio school district says all school employees pass criminal background investigations

By Sue Hoffman
The Solon Times

All employees in the Solon School District have had criminal history background checks with the FBI and Ohio Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation, officials said at Monday's school board meeting.
"We're compliant," School Superintendent Joseph V. Regano said. The practice is in accordance with a new state law and subsequent school policy. All substitute teachers also must have the background checks before they can be considered for employment, he said.
No district employees were found to have any record that would prevent their employment, school officials said.
Board member Julie Glavin raised the question of whether school volunteers will be required to have background investigations.
While districts will be "looking for clarification" from the state on that issue, Mr. Regano said he believes the requirement only affects volunteers working "in single relationships" and "in direct control of students." It would not affect room parents or parents helping on field trips, he said. With volunteers, "it's difficult for the state to control since there's no licensing," he said.
There also is the issue of cost. School staff members each had to pay the $46 cost for the background checks. Prior to the law, the BCI check was $15.
Volunteer coaches who work with students are fingerprinted, and background checks are completed, Assistant Superintendent Thomas W. Stupica said.
He said the procedure for getting background checks by the FBI and BCI is simple. Fingerprinting is completed and sent by a machine in the district, he said. "If all goes well, we'll have a response within 24 hours."
The school board discussed a recent report that an employee in the Orange School District was found to have a felony conviction 36 years ago.
Mr. Stupica said that, prior to the new law, teaching applicants residing in Ohio for the last five years needed a background check only from BCI. Those who lived outside the state within the last five years were required to have the background check by the FBI.
With the new law, Mr. Stupica said, all employees have had to have both background checks. Teachers must have them completed for any renewal of their licenses or certificates, which are valid a maximum of five years.
While teachers always needed the background check for initial employment, non-teaching staff members did not, Mr. Stupica said. Now, they must have it completed as well, he said. Future background checks are scheduled with licensing renewal, he said, which is every six years for bus drivers.
"There are certain offenses for which a person cannot be hired by the schools, even if they occurred 20 to 30 or more years ago," Mr. Stupica said. They include assault, robbery and other violent crimes.
Board member Roger Goudy said BCI checks do not show past convictions which have been expunged, while the FBI report shows all past convictions, "expunged or not."
Mr. Stupica said that, for people who are 18 and older, records are sealed rather than expunged. Those who have had their records sealed may believe they do not have to report the past conviction on their applications, but those records become "unsealed" for certain jobs, he said. "In education, nothing is sealed."


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