D135 Pushing to Keep Felons off School Boards Across the State

Perverts and felons may soon want to rethink running for school board in Illinois.

Board of Education is drafting a resolution that could ban registered sex offenders, convicted murderers, and anyone with recent felonies from sitting amongst them. But the real goal is to send the resolution to Springfield to make it a statewide practice.

“We check all the teachers, secretaries, janitors, bus drivers—anybody who has anything to do with our kids we run through a background check,” Human Resources Director Julie Oberwise said. “But these seven (board members) who are making policy for our kids, we have no idea who they are.”

Assistant Supt. for Business Services John Reiniche, who wrote an early draft of this resolution, said it’s an extra safeguard to protect children and noted that the Illinois Association of School Boards has shown support for the idea.

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie signed a law this summer that requires school board members of public and charter schools to pass a background check, subjecting those who lie about their criminal history to possible fines and jail time of up to 18 months.

Reiniche, who also serves as the district’s ethics officer, said the intention, at least in Illinois, is not to penalize felons but to merely keep them away from young children.

after she heard of an out-of-state incident involving a stalking, pornography-wielding school board member. She then searched the Internet for news stories about school board members convicted of criminal offenses and was apparently startled by how many she found.

“We’re guardians of the (school) policy and the children … and supposed to keep a watchful eye of everything that transpires below us,” she said.

A candidate with a minimal record from years ago, someone with, say, a felony retail theft conviction who since has no other arrests, might not be excluded from school boards.

"We’re looking at serious criminal activity, anything against children, against women," Donegan said. "It depends on how heinous it is."

She and her fellow board members will continue the discussion at the committee level and work out the specifics. They hope to have something approved and sent to lawmakers early next year. If Springfield doesn’t go for it, Donegan said she would be content knowing at least that the "proactive" standard exists at District 135.

Background checks cost around $50 per person—a cost that Donegan said she’s willing to pay out of pocket.

District 135 is also considering a policy that would subject school volunteers—including room moms and chaperons—to background checks and training programs about the proper ways to interact with children, which some private schools use.