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Board debates requiring level‑2 background checks and fingerprinting for members
Summary
Board members debated adding level‑2 volunteer background checks and fingerprinting for board members; supporters argued for a proactive safety layer, while others questioned enforceability and legal authority.
A proposal to require level‑2 volunteer background checks and fingerprinting for members of the New Hanover County Board of Education drew extended discussion on the board floor.
A board member moved to add language aligning board members to level‑2 volunteer requirements, including fingerprinting. Supporters said the change would add a layer of protection for children, pointing to the county’s history and practices in other jurisdictions. One member said fingerprinting sometimes reveals older charges not shown on basic background checks and that the district has previously used fingerprint results to decline employment.
Opponents cautioned about enforcement limits and the state’s role: several members noted the General Assembly sets filing requirements for some elected posts and that the board could not, by itself, disqualify an elected member from holding office; staff said the superintendent already restricts unsupervised access to schools when checks raise concerns. Board discussion also focused on whether the policy should specify the superintendent’s authority to restrict school access and how far back checks should go.
The board asked staff to draft clearer language for subsequent consideration, to explain practical enforcement steps, and to clarify legal remedies and potential consequences for flagged results.
What’s next: Policy language to be revised and returned for consideration; staff and the board’s policy committee to clarify enforcement, time horizons for checks, and relations to state law.
