Pubdate: Fri, 24 Feb 2012
Source: Nanaimo Daily News (CN BC)
Copyright: 2012 Nanaimo Daily News
Contact:  http://www.canada.com/nanaimodailynews/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1608
Author: Robert Barron, Daily News

SCHOOL TRUSTEES DECIDE AGAINST CRIMINAL CHECKS

Board Chairman Says He Hopes Issue Has Been 'Put To
Rest'

The Nanaimo-Ladysmith school board has voted for the second time in a
month against criminal record checks for trustees.

With a 4-4 tie vote, the school board defeated a motion on Wednesday
that would have required successful trustee candidates to submit to
criminal record checks after an election.

Trustee Sharon Welch was absent from the meeting.

If the board had approved the motion, it would likely have been tabled
at this spring's annual general meeting of the B.C. School Trustees'
Association in an effort to make it a provincial policy for all of
B.C. school trustees.

Board chairman Jamie Brennan, who voted against the motion, said he
hopes that the issue of criminal record checks for trustees in the
district has now been put to rest.

But trustee Kim Howland, who introduced Wednesday's motion, said she
intends to introduce a motion at the next business committee in March
that any individual in the district who has access to children should
submit to a criminal record check.

"I'm disappointed that some of the other trustees chose not to see
this as a student safety issue," Howland said.

"With all the abuse cases out there involving children with Scouts,
coaches and the church these days, I believe that everyone who has
access to children should have to have a criminal check of their past."

The board voted 6-2 against a motion made by trustee Donna Allen last
month that would have required all candidates for trustee positions in
the district to submit to a criminal check before the election.

Allen delayed taking her oath of office for several weeks after she
was re-elected in November because she didn't think trustee Bill Bard
should be allowed to serve because of his 2006 conviction for growing
marijuana.

He pleaded guilty to the charge and served a one-year conditional
sentence.

Bard said he's not surprised that another effort will be made to have 
criminal checks for trustees in the district.  "For at least one 
trustee, this is really about politics and not about the children," he said.

"I don't expect Donna (Allen) will give up on this and I believe this
will be brought up again and again."

Allen has routinely ignored Daily News requests for comment on this
subject. 
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