Look Hard at School Employees

The arrest of a recently hired custodian in the killing of a student at a rural high school near Sacramento should result in new laws that strengthen criminal background checks to protect California youngsters.

A package of legislation introduced this week by Assemblywomen Barbara Alby (R-Fair Oaks) and Deborah Ortiz (D-Sacramento) would ban school employment of any person convicted of a violent or serious felony and prevent school districts from hiring any employee--including teachers, who are currently subject to different laws--before the state Department of Justice had completed a criminal background check. Current law applies to only non-instructional employees and requires only large districts, with at least 400,000 pupils, to request such checks.

The proposed law also would require results to be returned to schools within two days. The current process takes up to 30 days, though it is far quicker if schools pay an extra fee.

The victim in last week’s murder was a female senior at Rio Linda High School. The small school district had requested a background check on the job applicant even though its enrollment was well below the state-mandated threshold. However, the suspect, who turned out to have a violent history and to be on parole for manslaughter, was allowed to start the job before the check was completed.

Larger school districts, like Los Angeles Unified, request checks on 12,000 applicants a year. The LAUSD until last month had cleared potential employees in just 24 hours through a computer linked to the California Law Enforcement Telecommunications System. But it had to stop when Atty. Gen. Dan Lungren stated in April that the system could not legally be used for current or prospective employees because of privacy issues. However, Lungren said a law enforcement agency other than the school police could run automated checks for the district. Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan has asked school police and the L.A. Police Department to cooperate in finding an efficient and cost-effective solution.

Parents send their children to school with the expectation that they will return safely. The tragic murder in Rio Linda should result in steps to keep criminals, especially those with violent records, off all campuses.