Charlotte Schools Can't Bully Employees

Officials at Charlotte schools recently sent their 18,000 workers a form asking that each employee consent to a rigorous background check or be fired. The next day board officials responsible for Charlotte schools apologized and directed employees to shred the offensive forms. While the heavy-handed tactics may not have been the best way to approach the issue of employee screening at Charlotte schools, anyone working in an environment where children will be nearby should be prepared to share some personal information if they want to be hired or stay in that position.

Background Checks Should be Standard for Employees at Charlotte Schools

Charlotte schools should be applauded for wanting to take steps to ensure that students and staff are safe, but these background checks should be conducted before any offer of employment is made. Since Charlotte schools seem to be playing catch up when it comes to employee background checks, they may have to deal with the fact that some employees may need to be dismissed based on the results.

Anyone applying for a position in Charlotte schools needs to know that they will be subject to a background check as a condition of employment. That should be enough to scare off people who have something in their background that would make them a less-than-ideal choice for a job working in a school. Lest you are lulled into a false sense of security because applicants will be subject to background checks, the check will only show whether a person has a criminal past. If the applicant is a pedophile who has not been caught yet, then the fact that they have an inappropriate interest in children won't be revealed.

Charlotte Schools Need to Consider Why They Need Information

The document distributed to employees at Charlotte schools asked them to consent to a detailed background check that would examine their "finances, background, character and "mode of living." I'm not sure what a person's credit rating would have to do with their work at a school. The only way that type of background check would be appropriate for employees at Charlotte schools would be if it could be shown how the employee's finances would affect their work. I can't see how it would, to be honest with you.

As far as an investigation into a person's "mode of living" before being allowed to work at Charlotte schools, this one left me scratching my head. Once again, what difference does a person's mode of living make? I want to know that the people working at Charlotte schools are not a threat to fellow staff members or students, but the other things being asked for are an invasion of privacy, pure and simple.