Cliff Buchan
News Editor

How far do you go in protecting the safety of school children?

ISD 831 will take on that topic this winter with the formation of a school board policy that sets down new rules for criminal background checks of some volunteers who help out the local schools. The new policy would be in addition to the state-mandated criminal background checks that the district requires of all new hires.

The school board learned on Thursday, Jan. 4 that the administration has put the brakes on its immediate plans to implement the volunteer background check policy. Questions were raised last month after at least three elementary schools -- Lino Lakes, Forest View and Forest Lake -- sent letters home telling parents who volunteer in the schools of the new procedures.

The new procedure comes as the administration is also moving to expand how it does criminal background checks. While state law requires the use of the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension for the checks, the administration this month will add a second layer of background checks by hiring an outside vendor to do more extensive checks on new hires.

As proposed last month, the new procedure would apply only to volunteers who would be part of out-of-district or off-campus field trips. The current proposal does not include background checks for volunteers who help in the schools.

Under the current procedures, all new hires pay the $15 BCA fee charge. The new fee for the private firm is $44 and the district and the employee or volunteer would pay equal shares of $22.

Lynn Steenblock, superintendent, said no incident sparked the administration's move for the expanded criminal background checks. The process was proposed by Ron Spies, director of administration and human resources.

Steenblock said the bottom line goal of the proposal was "make sure kids are safe."

After hearing parental comments on the proposal last month, Steenblock told the school board the matter was being sent to the board's policy committee for formal review, comments and formation of a school board policy that would come back to the full board for discussion and action this winter.

Steenblock said last week the background checks for chaperones would not be put in place until the fall term begins in September.

The public comments sent to Steenblock and board members made it clear, Steenblock said, that more discussion was in order. "There are flaws to everything being done," he said.

He said the comments ranged from those who thought it was a good idea to those who thought it was not such a good idea. Others questioned why the criminal background checks for all employees and volunteers are not done each year, he said.

Parental views

Three parents who work in the local schools as volunteers and chaperones shared some of the same ideas.

"Overall it is a good idea," said Laurie Downs, a parent at Lino Lakes Elementary and active member of the Parent-Teacher Organization.

Downs and Miranda Oliver, a parent volunteer at Forest Lake Elementary and Parent-Teacher Association member, said they had questions over a proposal that would ask volunteers to undergo background checks only once during the lifetime their son or daughter is in school.

"If you are going to do it, it should be done every year," said Oliver who runs a daycare business in Forest Lake. Her entire staff, husband and children over 14 are required to complete criminal background checks as a state licensing requirement.

"You want to keep kids safe, I understand that," Oliver added.

While the district will waive the background fees for those who can't afford the cost, Downs said the PTO at Lino Lakes Elementary is concerned about the costs and will explore if the PTO can help offset the costs to run background checks on chaperones.

Downs said she would have greater concerns if the policy expands to all volunteers.

"What about PTO events?" she asked. "We have the Lions Club members coming in to volunteer. We probably wouldn't be able to use those volunteers."

Laurie Kumerow, Forest Lake, is the parent of a high school alpine skier who makes occasional trips with the team. She, too, could be subject to the background checks.

Kumerow says she understands the need but has some worry that the policy may drive off volunteers who won't want the hassle or who object to the principle of having to pay $22 to volunteer.

"It's sad to say that this is where security has gone," Kumerow said of the need today to put in place extra measures to make sure kids are safe.

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