The Everett School Committee adopted a new fingerprint based criminal background check policy Monday night, aimed at complying with a new state law and ensuring even greater security for children in schools.
“Basically, anyone who may come into unsupervised contact with children will now have to submit to a fingerprint based criminal history check that will be nationwide,” explained Assistant Superintendent Dr. Thomas Stella after the meeting. “We always did CORI checks within the Massachusetts criminal database, but a new state law now requires nationwide checks and this finger print system is being used to ensure that those are done.”
According to Stella all recent employees, hired within the past year, will be required to submit to the finger print test by June 15. Approximately 165 employees have now been notified that they will have to comply and the remaining school department employees will be phased in over the next several months.
There is a cost for the test, as certified teachers and administrators will pay $55 each to have their fingerprints taken and run through the national database and non-certified personnel and school volunteers will pay $35 each.
“This new law is aimed at making sure we are not allowing people with criminal backgrounds to have access to our children and by adopting this new district policy, Everett is making sure that we comply with that very important law,” added Stella.
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