DCPS and DCPCS teachers not registered as abusers in national database

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Also, I think the article is saying that abusers FROM DC aren't put into a database to prevent them easily from being hire in other states. Although hopefully their record would show in a routine background check anyway?

You are correct. And that OSSE is working to correct this in the coming months so that DC abusers will be put in that database.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They do it on new hires but they do not do it ongoing. They should be doing it at least every few years.

DCPS retiree here, employees go through the fingerprinting and background checks every 2 years.

We are supposed to be fingerprinted every 2 years but this does not happen. I haven't been fingerprinted since I got hired 7 years ago.

How is that possible??? You have to submit your fingerprints for a license renewal and that is every 4 years. Your badge is also expired and you will be required to update your fingerprints before you are given a new badge.

NP. I think the PP is lying. Anyone can post anything on this site.

Started off with a provisional license which was then updated to a full license (didn't get fingerprinted). I am up for renewal so we will see if I get asked for fingerprints. Another teacher wasn't asked this past summer. The fact of the matter is that DCPS does a really terrible job when it comes to tracking its people. OSSE said they still a year or two out of being able to enter teachers into the nation-wide database.

[Anonymous]

That information is not accurate. You do not have that much time to renew your license. An email goes to your principal and they are required to follow up on it.

Anonymous wrote:I taught in DCPS up until two years ago, and I don't know anyone who resubmitted prints. It came up in a staff meeting when someone joked that the principal should check run a new check on a teacher 'for warrants.' We had a brief side conversation about how DCPS never checks to see if anyone has commited a crime, contracted TB, or done something shady since getting hired.

As for the badge and license. The only times my badge was ever checked was when going to central office and when trying to get free fast food during teacher week. We used separate key cards to get around in my building. And as much as they talk about licenses and certifications, central office checks to see if you're eligible for a license. They told us in orientation that you have three years to actually get one from OSSE. They send you the letters threatening to fire you, but they don't actually do it until you hit the three year mark, so there are a number of teachers out there who don't actually have licenses to teach. I imagine it's the same for those who need to renew.

[Anonymous]

My license was up for renewal this summer and YES, you are asked for updated fingerprints by OSSE. The problem with people who don't follow the protocol is that when they finally get "caught" they want to scream bloody murder. Just submit the required documents. Someone is lying. I JUST went through the renewal process and they have outside contractors who are checking everything.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They do it on new hires but they do not do it ongoing. They should be doing it at least every few years.

DCPS retiree here, employees go through the fingerprinting and background checks every 2 years.

We are supposed to be fingerprinted every 2 years but this does not happen. I haven't been fingerprinted since I got hired 7 years ago.

How is that possible??? You have to submit your fingerprints for a license renewal and that is every 4 years. Your badge is also expired and you will be required to update your fingerprints before you are given a new badge.

NP. I think the PP is lying. Anyone can post anything on this site.

Started off with a provisional license which was then updated to a full license (didn't get fingerprinted). I am up for renewal so we will see if I get asked for fingerprints. Another teacher wasn't asked this past summer. The fact of the matter is that DCPS does a really terrible job when it comes to tracking its people. OSSE said they still a year or two out of being able to enter teachers into the nation-wide database.

[Anonymous]

I'm confused...what are you "waiting" for? If you know your license is up for renewal then you should have already been on the OSSE site to see what you need to submit. Everything is submitted electronically now and DCPS will need to submit your fingersprints so you need to make your way to First Street to get fingerprinted. It only takes a few minutes. Not sure what the big deal is unless you have something to hide.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They do it on new hires but they do not do it ongoing. They should be doing it at least every few years.

DCPS retiree here, employees go through the fingerprinting and background checks every 2 years.

We are supposed to be fingerprinted every 2 years but this does not happen. I haven't been fingerprinted since I got hired 7 years ago.

How is that possible??? You have to submit your fingerprints for a license renewal and that is every 4 years. Your badge is also expired and you will be required to update your fingerprints before you are given a new badge.

NP. I think the PP is lying. Anyone can post anything on this site.

Started off with a provisional license which was then updated to a full license (didn't get fingerprinted). I am up for renewal so we will see if I get asked for fingerprints. Another teacher wasn't asked this past summer. The fact of the matter is that DCPS does a really terrible job when it comes to tracking its people. OSSE said they still a year or two out of being able to enter teachers into the nation-wide database.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They do it on new hires but they do not do it ongoing. They should be doing it at least every few years.

Negative! Every time teachers need a new ID badge or to renew licenses their status is checked or updated as necessary. Sorry to burst that bubble for you.

This is my third year in DCPS and I don't have an ID badge. When I was hired and processed they wouldn't give me one until I cleared my background and drug test and then I'd have to go down to central during school hours. I just never got around to it and no one ever said I needed one.

[Anonymous]

lol at badge check. Mine hasn’t ever been checked even when I go to other schools and no one knows me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is very disturbing. The fact that convicted DCPS abusers do not have their teaching licenses revoked and are not listed on the national database of abusers is bad enough, but DCPCS doesn't even do a check of the database in making their hiring decisions. This allows abusers to keep teaching in other jurisdictions. In the case of DCPCS, they don't even need to check to see if they are hiring an abuser. This is nuts. http://www.nbcwashington.com/investigations/DC-Teachers-Admit-Misconduct-But-Slip-Through-Cracks-450481013.html

Hunh? Not sure how you're getting that from the article but DCPS gets FBI background checks on all hires (not just teachers). No convicted abuser would get hired by a district that conducts FBI background checks, who do you think is populating these offender registries?

Please read the post and the article carefully. The post does not say DCPS does not do background checks on hires. It says DCPCS (that's charter schools) are not required to do so.

That's shameful, and I'm an educator.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:lol at badge check. Mine hasn’t ever been checked even when I go to other schools and no one knows me.

That's absurd in these times. We have to swipe our badge at our assigned schools and show ID before being admitted at the others.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My license was up for renewal this summer and YES, you are asked for updated fingerprints by OSSE. The problem with people who don't follow the protocol is that when they finally get "caught" they want to scream bloody murder. Just submit the required documents. Someone is lying. I JUST went through the renewal process and they have outside contractors who are checking everything.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They do it on new hires but they do not do it ongoing. They should be doing it at least every few years.

DCPS retiree here, employees go through the fingerprinting and background checks every 2 years.

We are supposed to be fingerprinted every 2 years but this does not happen. I haven't been fingerprinted since I got hired 7 years ago.

How is that possible??? You have to submit your fingerprints for a license renewal and that is every 4 years. Your badge is also expired and you will be required to update your fingerprints before you are given a new badge.

NP. I think the PP is lying. Anyone can post anything on this site.

Started off with a provisional license which was then updated to a full license (didn't get fingerprinted). I am up for renewal so we will see if I get asked for fingerprints. Another teacher wasn't asked this past summer. The fact of the matter is that DCPS does a really terrible job when it comes to tracking its people. OSSE said they still a year or two out of being able to enter teachers into the nation-wide database.

That's a big ole lawsuit waiting to happen, if they don't keep track of who's entering schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:lol at badge check. Mine hasn’t ever been checked even when I go to other schools and no one knows me.

That's absurd in these times. We have to swipe our badge at our assigned schools and show ID before being admitted at the others.

Dcps?

I’m a teacher from Virginia schools and I’m shocked at the lack of security in dcps. School doors are unlocked before the day starts, sometimes security isn’t even at the desk to sign people in during the day and the visitors bypass the office, teachers and staff members don’t have to wear badges etc.

In our Virginia school, every persons ID had to be swiped if they were a visitor. Doors were locked before the school day and staff members had keys to get in. We had to wear our badges always and when we went to other schools we had to present our badges.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is very disturbing. The fact that convicted DCPS abusers do not have their teaching licenses revoked and are not listed on the national database of abusers is bad enough, but DCPCS doesn't even do a check of the database in making their hiring decisions. This allows abusers to keep teaching in other jurisdictions. In the case of DCPCS, they don't even need to check to see if they are hiring an abuser. This is nuts. http://www.nbcwashington.com/investigations/DC-Teachers-Admit-Misconduct-But-Slip-Through-Cracks-450481013.html

Hunh? Not sure how you're getting that from the article but DCPS gets FBI background checks on all hires (not just teachers). No convicted abuser would get hired by a district that conducts FBI background checks, who do you think is populating these offender registries?

Please read the post and the article carefully. The post does not say DCPS does not do background checks on hires. It says DCPCS (that's charter schools) are not required to do so.

That's shameful, and I'm an educator.

Charter schools DO have to perform background checks or prospective teachers.

They are NOT required to only hire teachers who are certified by OSSE (or reciprocally from another state).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My license was up for renewal this summer and YES, you are asked for updated fingerprints by OSSE. The problem with people who don't follow the protocol is that when they finally get "caught" they want to scream bloody murder. Just submit the required documents. Someone is lying. I JUST went through the renewal process and they have outside contractors who are checking everything.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They do it on new hires but they do not do it ongoing. They should be doing it at least every few years.

DCPS retiree here, employees go through the fingerprinting and background checks every 2 years.

We are supposed to be fingerprinted every 2 years but this does not happen. I haven't been fingerprinted since I got hired 7 years ago.

How is that possible??? You have to submit your fingerprints for a license renewal and that is every 4 years. Your badge is also expired and you will be required to update your fingerprints before you are given a new badge.

NP. I think the PP is lying. Anyone can post anything on this site.

Started off with a provisional license which was then updated to a full license (didn't get fingerprinted). I am up for renewal so we will see if I get asked for fingerprints. Another teacher wasn't asked this past summer. The fact of the matter is that DCPS does a really terrible job when it comes to tracking its people. OSSE said they still a year or two out of being able to enter teachers into the nation-wide database.

Had to renew my fingerprints twice both times my license was up for renewal too! In fact just went to get an ID and wasn't given one until the end of the school year as my fingerprints are up for renewal before June.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:lol at badge check. Mine hasn’t ever been checked even when I go to other schools and no one knows me.

That's absurd in these times. We have to swipe our badge at our assigned schools and show ID before being admitted at the others.

Dcps?

I’m a teacher from Virginia schools and I’m shocked at the lack of security in dcps. School doors are unlocked before the day starts, sometimes security isn’t even at the desk to sign people in during the day and the visitors bypass the office, teachers and staff members don’t have to wear badges etc.

In our Virginia school, every persons ID had to be swiped if they were a visitor. Doors were locked before the school day and staff members had keys to get in. We had to wear our badges always and when we went to other schools we had to present our badges.

Agree about this, yes school doors are open early morning and late, students and unknown after-school staff and parents (who knows) can wander the building in my school in NW! Security only during official school hours. Previous DCPS title 1 schools had to swipe card to get in! All schools have to get with the times and be much more serious about security.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm confused...what are you "waiting" for? If you know your license is up for renewal then you should have already been on the OSSE site to see what you need to submit. Everything is submitted electronically now and DCPS will need to submit your fingersprints so you need to make your way to First Street to get fingerprinted. It only takes a few minutes. Not sure what the big deal is unless you have something to hide.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They do it on new hires but they do not do it ongoing. They should be doing it at least every few years.

DCPS retiree here, employees go through the fingerprinting and background checks every 2 years.

We are supposed to be fingerprinted every 2 years but this does not happen. I haven't been fingerprinted since I got hired 7 years ago.

How is that possible??? You have to submit your fingerprints for a license renewal and that is every 4 years. Your badge is also expired and you will be required to update your fingerprints before you are given a new badge.

NP. I think the PP is lying. Anyone can post anything on this site.

Started off with a provisional license which was then updated to a full license (didn't get fingerprinted). I am up for renewal so we will see if I get asked for fingerprints. Another teacher wasn't asked this past summer. The fact of the matter is that DCPS does a really terrible job when it comes to tracking its people. OSSE said they still a year or two out of being able to enter teachers into the nation-wide database.

Because it's not 60 days out yet so I can't renew it yet?? The point that I was making is that I wasn't asked to be fingerprinted when I went from a provisional to a regular license.