New stricter requirements regarding school bus drivers background check enacted in Texas since the 2007 spring got much support from the state's citizens, the whole community and parents of school pupils alike. It goes without saying that the taxpayers' right to know that a person hired to drive the kids to school and then bring them back to their homes in a safe and timely manner has no criminal record shouldn't questioned, for school bus driver is the only adult person in charge of children during the whole time of driving until the students are handed over either to their parents or teachers.
This is exactly what the legislature passed through the State's Senate two years ago provides. Is is already two years since all employees of public schools throughout Texas, including school bus drivers, are mandated to pass a national criminal background check involving fingerprinting as a means of identifying the subject's authenticity. The 2007 law amendment has filled the previously existing gap and now covers all new and current servicing and teaching staff, starting from school teachers and ending with school bus drivers. Under the provisions of the new clause that was then added, all of the employees whose fingerprinting based background screening revealed the history of some past crimes directed against children were denied working further for Texas schools and were fired. As for the new applicants for a position of bus driver with any school in Texas, they are required to meet provisions of the FBI criminal background check as defined be law.
Occasional dissatisfactions over the new employee background screening procedure that requires fingerprinting originated from some of school bus drivers who had been working for state schools for many years without ever having to pass this sort of their background verification. Several drivers felt offended with what they thought distrust they didn't deserve after many years of diligently working keeping the stressful and responsible position of a school bus driver, which it is. Why should they now be treated like like suspected felons? Some even told they would write and send letters to the legislative bodies, hoping to be exempt from the total screening that had been introduced through the new law amendment. Lawmakers thought the background check issue with regards to school bus drivers should be explained to the public once again so all dots over the "i" be put on their places.
Florence Shapiro, the State Senator who had applied much effort preparing and advocating the said amendment, reacted by expressing her regret over the fact that some citizens allowed their personal injured feelings put them in opposition to the interest of the society they live in. We can't afford mistake when it comes to children's safety, so there is no other choice than using fingerprints background check since this is the only check providing 100% confidence the subject wouldn't be mistaken for different person. While school bus drivers with no past charges or convictions have nothing to fear, this simple measure can prevent the candidates of no trust to work with children and possibly harm them.
As for the issues of privacy, the schools are obligated to destroy the national criminal background check reports they would receive from FBI within a term never exceeding one year from the day they received it, whilst dissemination of the information contained in those reports too constitute serious law offence and it may be prosecuted to the fullest. No compiling local database of the records of the sort is allowed.
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