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February 17, 2009
To the Editor:
Unfortunately it is necessary to correct the brief that was printed in last Friday’s Times Herald-Record regarding the headline that wrongly faulted the Cornwall Central School District for “hiring criminals.” In fact, the audit conducted by the Comptroller, Thomas DiNapoli, clearly faults the New York State Education Department for long delays in the clearance process of people employed in school districts throughout the state. The Record’s article faults the school district for not following the proper procedures in this process. This statement couldn’t be farther from the truth as evidenced by the THR printing a correction in Saturday’s edition, as well as apologizing to me, the Superintendent of Schools for the Cornwall Central District.
As concerned parents and community members throughout the state read about this extremely concerning audit, it created an opportunity for the THR to discredit the district despite a conversation clarifying the information with the reporter on the day prior to the article. The article was accurate, but the headline was inflammatory. Cornwall, as well as every other district in Orange County, fingerprints its employees, regardless of title, immediately upon being hired. The prints are then sent up to the State Education Department where they are processed and considered for clearance for employment by the Commissioner. The employee, at the same time the fingerprints are being processed, signs a sworn affidavit that he/she is does not have any criminal history. This is kept on file in the district office. If the employee is cleared by the SED, the district receives a clearance notification, nothing else. That employee could have some type of criminal history that does not disqualify him/her employment as determined by the Commissioner. Therefore, as in the 30 cases audited by the Comptroller, there could be an employee, as in Cornwall’s case, who has some type of arrest but it is not made known to the district of hire. We are not provided with this information. Only subsequent arrests, after fingerprints are on file, are sent to the districts for their consideration.
As a result of this audit of the Comptroller, the State Education Department has released an acknowledgment dated February 12, 2009 accepting the Comptroller’s Audit and that “Criminal History Background Check Improvements are in Place.” This can be found on the State Education website. I want to assure our community, as well as all communities throughout the region that we take this responsibility extremely serious and conduct, without exception, all of the proper procedures regarding the background check process.
Timothy J. Rehm
Superintendent of Schools
Cornwall Central School District
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