Missouri's Auditor says more work is needed.
Missouri's State Auditor says schools across the state are not doing everything they can when it comes to criminal background checks on teachers.
Susan Montee says teachers with criminal records and history of child abuse are slipping through the cracks and into classrooms across the state.
We wanted to know what schools in our area do to sort the good teachers from ones with a shady past.
Missouri's Auditor says the way schools do background checks is inadequate. Do you agree?
Dana Ruhl, Business Manager for the Hannibal Public School District said, "No Melissa, Hannibal Public Schools doesn not agree with that. Two years ago we went to FBI background checks which are required by the state. But in addition to that we continue to have all of our employees go through the Central Registry for Child Abuse Search as well. That will pick up anything that may be in the background as far as child abuse and neglect and if anything turns up with either one of them we cannot let them stay in the classroom."
We also asked the auditor's question to Eric Churchwell, the Superintendent of the Palmyra Public School District.
He says his district also follows the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education laws to the letter...mandating his district perform FBI and Missouri Highway Patrol Fingerprint background checks on all potential employees.
But after this audit he may make a few additions.
After the auditors finding, will you change the way you hire teachers?
Churchwell said, "We may want to add one step into the criminal background checks, the child abuse registry is that other step and to be quite honest we didn't know before today that that was an option. We'll definitely start investigating that."
The Central Registry for Child Abuse requires each teaching candidate to supply his or her social security number and permission for the school district to search documented reports of child abuse or other possible red flags. School officials may not get in a regular criminal background check.
Do you think theres a danger of putting a stigma on a good teacher who was put in a questionable situation?
Churchwell said, "Depending on the situation, But the bottom line is if an individual is on one of these registries, I'm going to assume they've been found guilty of a crime against a child. However if it comes out they're guilty we're not going to hire them. There may be some good teachers that got falsely accused and now they're paying the price but I don't think you can take that chance that a potential predator could be in your schools."
Churchwell also told us DESE or the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education says many of the auditor's suggestions will probably go unanswered because there isn't enough money.
DESE says it and schools themselves don't have the budget to take the additional steps the auditor mentions in her report.
