August 4, 2007 - The Dallas Morning News deserves accolades for their investigative report last year on school employees with criminal records. Since then, the school district and the Texas Education Agency (TEA) have worked to update their records.
The Dallas Independent School District has fired, or forced to resign, 24 employees since November for failing to notify the district of arrests or court judgments for serious crimes, including indecent exposure, theft and felony assault, according to information received from DISD.Several employees claimed they didn't know they were supposed to report their convictions.
The employees include nine teachers and a teacher's assistant.
DISD also has reported at least 141 educators to the Texas Education Agency for having a criminal background or for running afoul of district rules. State law requires districts to notify TEA within seven days after learning about a licensed educator's criminal history or a dismissal for violating district policies.
Some employees say they didn't report crimes because they didn't know they were supposed to. Starting this school year, the district plans to require all employees to sign a statement saying that they understand the district's policy.In addition, the school district is implementing a number of other policies, including giving school board members a weekly report of individuals reported to TEA; and reporting educators to TEA as DISD learns about them instead of waiting to send groups of names.
See TT - Background checks and 1992 Dallas Morning News report.
