An East Texas teacher who refused to be fingerprinted has her credentials back temporarily. Pam McLaurin, a kindergarten teacher in Big Sandy, refused to be fingerprinted, calling it “the mark of the beast.” McLaurin, a 22-year teaching veteran, said she was a devout Christian.
The state of Texas began requiring fingerprinting of teachers who renewed their certificates in 2008. The state also requires criminal background checks for teachers. McLaurin has a hearing on Jan. 22. to determine if she can keep her license.
http://www.lufkindailynews.com/hp/content/news/stories/2009/11/18/big_sandy_isd_folo.html
The nation’s largest school bus company is in trouble for not having required background checks on file for some of its drivers in Cincinnati. First Student Inc. serves more than 22,000 students in Cincinnati and the other districts in Southwest Ohio.
The company has been scrutinized after a 9-year-old girl was allegedly raped on a bus early this month. That incident has nothing to do with the license revocation, officials said. The Ohio Department of Public Safety placed the company on probation in 2007 after a driver was pulled over by police in Columbus and two syringes and cocaine were found on the bus, which was not carrying students at the time. An investigation revealed that the company had not completed background checks on any of its drivers.
http://news.cincinnati.com/article/AB/20091112/NEWS0102/911130357/CPS+bus+firm+could+lose+license
An Ohio university reversed its policy on testing the DNA of new hires. Last month, the University of Akron announced that the genetic testing would be a part of the background check. An official at the school said that the administration was now willing to remove the DNA testing from the policy.
Opponents said the policy violated the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act, a federal law that takes effect on November 21. The law specifically targeted insurance companies who collect genetic information. Companies were accused of using the information to show a pre-disposition to diseases and then deny coverage to individuals.
The policy also violated the individual’s right to privacy, opponents said. Last month a professor quit his job in protest of the policy. University officials said that no testing was done.
http://media.www.buchtelite.com/media/storage/paper1203/news/2009/11/10/News/Meeting.Marks.Beginning.Of.End.For.Dna-3827042.shtml
A middle school teacher charged with having an inappropriate relationship with a student misrepresented his criminal background, officials said. Ralph Surridge, 57, who taught drama at Mineral Springs Middle School in Winston Salem, North Carolina was charged with sexual misconduct last month. The allegations involve a student who was 13, 14, or 15 years old according to the charges.
Surridge was convicted in 1985 of embezzlement. He has been employed by the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools for seven years. School officials said they plan to fire Surridge and have provided information to the Department of Public Instruction who will consider whether or not his teaching license should be suspended.
http://www.myfox8.com/wghp-teacher-charged-suspended-091102,0,7463080.story
It took an investigation by a television station and newspaper to get the attention of officials about a sex offender not on the West Virginia sex offender registry. George Ogle pleaded guilty to raping two minors in Baltimore in 1979. But he was convicted before the National Sex Offender Registry was created.
However, Ogle adopted two girls after moving to West Virginia but somehow his rape conviction was not discovered. He is awaiting trial on charges he sexually abused the two girls. The incidents happened between 1993 and 2006. No one has been able to explain why his charges were not discovered.
http://investigativevoice.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1493:late-justice-baltimore-child-abuser-finally-put-on-sex-offenders-registry-30-years-after-abusing-children&catid=25:the-project&Itemid=44
Some members of Congress want to make sure that census takers don’t have criminal records. Four Republicans wrote a letter to Robert Groves, the director of the Census Bureau after a recent report said the agency may have hired 200 criminals. A report from the Government Accountability Office said that the census takers had “unclassifiable fingerprints” and the background checks were incomplete. The takers went door to door gathering information.
The Republicans are asking the Bureau for “a commitment in writing” that says they will not hire anyone with a criminal record. In the letter, they stated that “the safety and security of Americans in their own homes are at stake.”
http://www.deseretnews.com/article/705339975/Chaffetz-wants-no-criminal-counters.html
An Ohio university is taking background checks a step further. The University of Akron is “reserving the right” to require DNA samples from potential staff, factual or contractors. The university is believed to be the first employer in the nation to do so. A faculty member resigned when the announcement was made last week and may fill a lawsuit, according to reports.
Some experts say the requirement violates federal laws. A spokeswoman for the university said that many times when a new policy is implemented “there is unwarranted confusion and alarm.” The university did not say where or if the DNA samples would be stored.
http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2009/10/28/taking_liberties/entry5438012.shtml
After a drama teacher was accused of sexual misconduct with a student, officials from the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools say employees will be subject to random checks. The school system performs background checks when employees are hired, but employees who where hired many years ago did not undergo as thorough of a background check as current employees.
The change comes after Ralph Surridge, who taught drama at Mineral Springs Middle School, was arrested last week. A criminal background check showed that Surridge had served jail time for felony embezzlement in 1985.
The school system has 8,000 employees. School officials said the first checks will come from all sectors of the school system. The system spends $100,000 a year to have a private company complete the background checks.
http://www.myfox8.com/news/wghp-school-background-checks-091021,0,5306242.story
A recent audit released by the Tennessee state comptroller’s office shows that the Alcoholic Beverage Commission (ABC) has not been running background checks on state liquor stores. And there are fewer agents inspecting the stores for violations.
Store owners can be fined for not fully accounting for cash and selling alcohol to minors. Penalties for some of these violations have not been collected, according to the audit.
In the past 18 years, the number of liquor stores has increased from 650 to 3,388. The number of auditors has decreased from 34 to 31.
http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2009/oct/20/audit-finds-problems-with-alcohol-agency/
After a Florida newspaper reported that convicted murders and rapists were caring for the elderly, disabled and children, Gov. Charlie Crist ordered agencies to make sure they were conducting criminal background checks on employees. The South Florida Sun-Sentinel said more than 6,000 had been approved by the state as caregivers.
Crist said agencies had until Nov. 2 to examine their screening procedures and report to him on Nov. 2. Sen. Nan Rich has also filed legislation to change the screening process. Currently caregivers can begin work before criminal background checks are completed.
http://www.postonpolitics.com/2009/10/crist-orders-agencies-to-check-on-background-checks/
