Following the Law: Optional at Charter Schools
Both the Star-Ledger and the Record think the new law requiring criminal background checks and fingerprinting for school board members is onerous and silly. Perhaps. The Record says:
The centerpiece of the new law is the requirement for fingerprinting, which can imply arrest.
"If you want a background check, fine, but why does it have to include your fingerprints?" asks Jonathan Hodges, a Paterson school board member who may lose his seat for non-compliance. He added, "It's another erosion of our personal liberties."
It's true that many professions, including teaching, require criminal checks and fingerprinting. Teaching, however, is a full-time job. School board members are volunteers. It's certainly possible that over time the criminal background check requirement will make