The right of citizens to obtain information about government and public employees serves its purpose on many fronts. However, for one school district, an open records request may serve to create panic amongst hundreds of parents.
Austin Independent School District (AISD) has been directed by Texas Attorney General, Greg Abbott, to release more details regarding the criminal history of teachers working in the school district,
according to a news report.
An open records request under the
Freedom of Information Act by a local Austin news station prompted the release of criminal history data, but only about half of the information has been provided so far.
We still don't know what teachers are accused of doing, but we do know where they work.
Still, the data provided showed that every high school in the district was affected with the top five high schools having 61 teachers with a criminal history. AISD headquarters housed 18 individuals with a criminal history.
Fourteen of the district's eighteen middle schools employ criminals and fifty of the seventy-seven elementary schools are on the list.
After consulting with an area superintendent, most Texas Independent School Districts do
NOT HIRE anyone with a criminal history involving, but not limited to:
murder, rape, felonies, including felony drug charges with an intent to distribute or sell or felony assault, misdemeanor charges involving public lewdness or moral turpitude, embezzlement, fraud or crimes with a weapon.
A person with a criminal history where a teacher or other district employee may be hired typically includes misdemeanors such as minor assault, minor drug charges and DWI.
It is up to the individual school district as far as spelling out the details, but for this particular South Texas superintendent, when hiring anyone with a criminal history, using a reasonable time frame for occurrence of the crime such as asking questions like:
"Did it occur recently or 7-10 years ago?"
is the guiding line.
The news report carries the risk of creating a sense of panic amongst parents in the Austin district in that it reports that the "news will likely get worse for parents when the district releases the other half of this list"
The news station has submitted its request for the complete list.
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Freedom Of Information Just Got A Little More 'Free' For Austin, Tx School District
Chris V. (cgull)
