350 New Jersey school board members forced to resign

In quite a shocking story from New Jersey, it seems that background screening legislation is really starting to make an impact. Some 350 school board members across New Jersey must resign their positions immediately after failing to complete a criminal background check now mandated by state law.

The requirement, imposed through legislation enacted last year, is designed to hold school board members to the same standards that prevent criminals from becoming public school teachers, including drug possession or criminal mischief offenses. It is currently the only such law in the country but – with an ever-increasing focus on protecting children – there is little doubt that similar legislation will pop up in other states in 2012.

Assemblyman Jerry Green (D-Union) sponsored the legislation that requires school board members to undergo a criminal background check.

Failure to have completed the background check by Dec. 31 is an offense and officials who refuse to step down could be charged with a fourth-degree crime under the new law. ”If you don’t complete the background check, and you try to stick around, you risk going to jail. It’s as simple as that,” said Assemblyman Jerry Green (D-Union), the legislation’s sponsor.

Of the state’s 4,702 non-charter school board members, 189 failed to submit their background checks by the end-of-year deadline. In addition, nine members from districts including Plainfield and Long Hill who did submit the check have been disqualified for past crimes.

Noncompliance among board of trustee members at charter schools is much higher. One quarter of all charter school board officials, or 165 of 597 trustees, did not submit their criminal history reviews and are ineligible to continue serving their school communities. In addition, three trustees have been disqualified for past crimes.

What do you think of this legislation? Some believe it is overly-punitive, would you agree?

You can read more about this story at NJ.com.