Update on NJ school district background checks

we reported how 350 school board members across New Jersey were told to resign their positions immediately after failing to complete a criminal background check now mandated by state law. In an update on this story, the New Jersey Department of Education is still holding off releasing information related to all of the 4,702 board member and trustee background checks that were performed at that time. Under state law, board members have 30 days to submit a criminal background check or face removal from their elected position. The state extended the criminal background check deadline this year to January27th  in light of confusion with the new law. According to the law, board members with prior convictions including, but not limited to Reckless Endangerment, Criminal Restraint, Criminal Mischief, Burglary, Usury, Threats, Resisting Arrest, Escape or Bias Intimidation would be deemed ineligible to serve as a school board member in the state of New Jersey.

“There are no exceptions for board members/trustees to continue to serve without having submitted to the criminal history record check,” the state said in a statement.

For now, the state has granted a temporary reprieve for those board members who either refused or did not submit to a criminal background check. So far, at least 12 board members in New Jersey have been disqualified for previous criminal convictions. The legislators and governor in the state of New Jersey acted quickly on the new school board criminal background check legislation, which is the cause of the current confusion and delays, but the NJ Department of Education said today that the final list of board members deemed ineligible should be released in the coming weeks. The department would not comment on any board members or school districts at this time.]]>