Criminal Background Checks For Ohio Schools Bus Drivers In Question
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Scrutiny Over Criminal Background Checks for Ohio School Bus Drivers
Summary
Recently, a school bus driver in Columbus, Ohio, was arrested for cocaine possession. Further investigation revealed three prior DUI convictions. The driver was employed by First Student, Inc., a company providing bus services to numerous Ohio schools.
Article
A significant issue has arisen regarding the criminal background checks for school bus drivers in Ohio, following the arrest of a Columbus driver for cocaine possession. This driver, employed by First Student, Inc., also has three previous DUI convictions.
First Student, Inc. is a well-known private company responsible for employing drivers for many Ohio schools. The company operates with 22,000 drivers across 500 school districts in 38 states, transporting nearly two million children daily. Of the 20,000 bus drivers in Ohio, 3,000 to 5,000 work for private contractors. Ohio law mandates that bus drivers possess a commercial driver's license and undergo a criminal background check through the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation.
After the driver's arrest, it was discovered that First Student had not completed thorough criminal background checks for all their drivers. Following this revelation, services in Columbus were temporarily suspended, leading to a cancellation of classes while the company reviewed their records to check for similar oversights.
Jennifer Robinson, First Student’s spokeswoman, stated that the company has submitted several hundred background checks and fingerprints to the Bureau since 2004. However, Alex Goepfert, from the state attorney general's office, clarified that no submissions had been made since then. Robinson argued that all checks are conducted through a private company and deemed this incident isolated.
In response, Ed Simpson, chief of policy and administration for the attorney general's office, is seeking ways to improve the enforcement of background checks for Ohio school bus drivers to prevent such lapses. State Attorney General Marc Dann recently met with Columbus legislators to explore reinforcing the statute. Not conducting these checks is considered a misdemeanor. Dann is also assessing whether legal action can be taken against First Student.
This oversight has prompted other school districts in Ohio to question the status of their drivers’ background checks. Robinson assured that First Student is conducting a thorough review of all drivers. The Columbus district is reevaluating its contract with First Student, while Cincinnati has requested that First Student and other bus providers resubmit their background screenings. Cincinnati performs background checks every two years, with additional local checks every six months. Dayton conducts monthly reviews as they employ their own drivers. Meanwhile, Lorain and Elyria districts have been reassured by First Student about the completion of required checks.
This incident underscores the importance of consistent and thorough criminal background checks to ensure the safety of students across Ohio schools.
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