Fingerprinting of School Employees
A School Board Member's Concerns
A letter requesting information about the recently imposed
fingerprinting and background checks for teachers and other employees of
schools within the state has been sent to my representatives, Senator Paul
Davis, Sr. and Representative Ruel Cross, to Governor King, Education Commissioner
Albanese, MSAD 64 Superintendent Leonard Ney, and the Bangor Daily News. It
appeared in the Bangor Daily News on Tuesday, Nov. 2, 1999.
In summary, LD 503, An Act to Provide for State and Federal Criminal Record Checks
on Education Personnel in The State, as amended by LD 792 and LD 741 this year, establishes a requirement for
extensive background checks on all school personnel who come in contact with children.
LD 741 adds the language about fingerprinting as demanded by the FBI before they will perform criminal
record checks. LD 503 was sponsored by Senator Peggy Pendleton (D-Scarborough).
The original source of the idea, I am told, was a National Governors' Conference.
At first glance, I found little to cavil about in this action other than
the requirement that the teachers pay for the checks themselves. However,
further thought and discussion has raised many other questions in my mind
that I hope our elected officials can clear up for me. As a member of
the Board of Directors of MSAD 64 I am charged with overseeing the
education of our children. I am certain that the inevitable lowering of
teacher morale due to this cavalier treatment and the equally inevitable
logistical tangles will reduce the quality of education our children
receive, not only in my district but in the State of Maine as a whole.
For this reason we need from the decision-makers who supported the measure
a convincing demonstration of its potential effectiveness in preventing
child abuse to balance the inescapable negatives that will arise from it.
So far, the only
substantive response I have received from an elected official is from Senator Paul Davis (R-Sangerville).
Senator Davis called me October 24 to discuss the measure. He shares my fears
that nothing will be accomplished beyond the further erosion of personal
liberty by this example of 'governmental hysteria,' as he aptly put it.
As time passes and no one offers me a sensible defense of this law (Knowledgeable
people with whom I've discussed the issue seem reminded of the old saw that
'the road to Hell is paved with good intentions'.), it begins to look
more and more like Chicken Little Visits Augusta. Please note that the 'King' in the original
fable is not named 'Angus', so draw your own conclusions as to which part
Maine's Governor plays in the story.