School workers could get more intense background checks
BY CARLOTTA MOHAMED
State Assemblywoman
Nily Rozic introduced
legislation Monday requiring
prospective employees at all
schools across New York state
to undergo fingerprinting
and comprehensive, stateconducted
background checks.
The legislation aims to
protect students from abuse,
while keeping predators out
of all schools, both public
and private. Long Island
state Sen. Todd Kaminsky
introduced an identical
version of the bill in the
state Senate.
“With students spending
a majority of their day in
school, it is critical that their
school environment be safe
and supportive,” said Rozic.
“Implementing a
fingerprinting procedure
that is already standard
practice at public schools
would provide families with
peace of mind, knowing
that all children are safe,
no matter what school they
attend,” she added.
Under current law, public
schools in New York state
are mandated by Education
Law § 305(30) to fingerprint
prospective employees who
have contact with students
and submit them for
comprehensive background
checks by the state
Department of Criminal
Justice Services and FBI.
However, such measures
are optional for employees
of New York’s non-public
schools.
Rozic and Kaminsky’s
legislation would amend
state law to require all
elementary, middle and
high schools — both public
and non-public — across the
state of New York to require
the fingerprinting of all
employees for the purposes
of a government-conducted
criminal background check.
Elliot Pasik, an attorney
in private practice, is the cofounder
and president of the
Jewish Board of Advocates
for Children and commended
the lawmakers for listening
and working toward passing
the legislation to protect
children in schools across
Photo via Getty Images
the state.
“The pleas of the child
abuse victims, their
families, and advocates,
have not been in vain.
Every voice has mattered.
Every single activist has
made a difference. Their
perseverance, through
trying times, has brought
us here today,” said Pasik.
“The state Legislature has
listened. More than 400,000
non-public school children
will be safer when the
bill passes. If you want to
work in a New York school,
public or non-public, you
must be fingerprinted, and
screened for any serious
criminal history.”
“I hope and pray that this
bill gives some comfort to
those families who have lost
loved ones to the evil scourge
of child sex abuse. The bill
sponsors, State Senator Todd
Kaminsky, and Assembly
Member Nily Rozic, have
shown decisive leadership,”
Pasik added. “The Wall
Street Journal, and their
Education Reporter Leslie
Brody, shined the brightest
light possible on this issue.
My colleagues and I are
proud to have participated
in this process. This is,
genuinely, a people’s bill,
born out of suffering, that
seeks a brighter day for all
school children.”
Reach reporter Carlotta
Mohamed by e-mail at
cmohamed@schnepsmedia.
com or by phone at (718) 260–
4526.
CONGRESSMAN
GREGORY W. MEEKS
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