Letter to Legislators
I am writing to you because I so strongly disagree with the broad sweep
that government wants to take at the credibility of teachers by requiring
us to have background checks. This is very intrusive and it sets the stage
for all of us to be being treated as if we lived in a police state. I
think the legislators who support this bill will appear law-hungry and
McCarthyesqe when someone takes it to court and their civil rights are
proven to have been violated. I have over 20 years experience as a school
counselor, and I know that sex abuse crimes are most likely to happen
within the child's family or family acquaintances.
As an educator, I don't want to pay for this ridiculous law and as a tax
payer, I don't think 2.3 million dollars on this is in any way an
intelligent use of funds. Would we next want to fingerprint everyone in
the state just so we can protect our families from a friend who might have
a shady past?Or maybe next we could just stay with public employees, but
start testing their blood and urine for evidence of shady activity.
This is too big and too invasive. Start with creating a data base of sex
convictions and require courts to submit names of convicted perpetrators.
I am sure there are better alternatives than this bad law.
Donna Childs
Counselor
Freeport School System