September 10, 2005
"Bush: Let's Simplify Checks for Schools"
Florida Governor Jeb Bush warns that failure to resolve difficulties related to the criminal-background check requirement under the Jessica Lunsford Act will eventually cost citizens more in taxes. The act calls for criminal background checks of all school vendors, but has proved difficult to implement. Every one of the state's 67 school districts have individual deals with vendors, which is requiring companies with a regional presence to pay for multiple background checks. In addition, the majority of school districts are far behind in background check requests. The governor has proposed eliminating multiple payment requirements for businesses that operate across different school districts. Source:MORE>
September 8, 2005
Washington’s DSHS Must Do A Better Job
Parents who entrust their children to the care of others deserve to know that their day care providers are safe individuals, free of a criminal background that would prevent them from supervising children. Recent incidents and legislative reviews show that Washington’s Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) could do a much better job investigating the background of child care workers and the background of those individuals dealing with vulnerable adults. A bill passed by the Legislature in 2001 required new background checks for DSHS employees and eliminated the 10-year exemption (People with felony convictions more than 10 years old did not have to disclose those crimes.) Of 13,314 employees, DSHS found 27 employees who had criminal records that would prevent them from dealing with vulnerable clients. Source:MORE>
September 8, 2005
TAKING IN EVACUEES: Checks advised before housing strangers
Like others throughout the nation, Dwight Wilson has been so moved by the pictures and stories coming out of New Orleans that he is offering his Detroit home to as many as four strangers displaced by Hurricane Katrina. Not only that, as the headmaster of Friends School in Detroit, he is encouraging others to do the same. Since the deadly storm, more than 1 million people have left the gulf coast and sought refuge in temporary shelters, homes and hotels throughout the nation. In many cases, the victims have put their lives in the hands of strangers and are trusting that they will be safe. Likewise, those offering aid are trusting that the people they help will not take advantage of their generosity. "It's a risk," said Wilson, 57, who also is offering three tuition-free spots at his school for Katrina victims. "But it's a greater risk to turn your back on people in need." Still, Wilson said, to be safe, he probably will run background checks on his expected guests. Source:MORE>
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