4049 Employee Annual Criminal Record Check
Student and staff safety is of paramount concern to the Board of Education. Employees who have committed criminal offenses could be a threat to the safety of students and staff. The Board of Education commits itself to maintaining a workplace safe for all students and employees.
A. The district will conduct an annual name search of each district employee against the registries maintained pursuant to the Oklahoma sex Offenders Registration Act and the Mary Rippy Violent Crime Act.
B. On an annual basis, all returning district employees are required to truthfully answer yes or no to the following questions:
Have you, within the past 365 days:
1. Entered a plea of guilty or nolo contendere to a state (any state) or federal felony charge?
2. Been convicted of a state (any state) or federal felony offense?
3. Been charged with a state (any state) or federal felony offense which was reduced to a misdemeanor offense to which you entered a plea of guilty or nolo contendere?
4. Entered a plea of guilty or nolo contendere to, or been convicted of, a state (any state) or federal misdemeanor charge involving illegal chemical substances or illegal sexual activity?
5. Entered into a deferred prosecution agreement with a state (any state) or federal prosecutor?
All questionnaire forms must be returned to the Superintendent or designee by September 15 of each school year. The questionnaire may be accomplished electronically through district email, and the return of the questionnaire via the employee’s district email account will constitute the electronic signature of the employee.
Refusal by the employee to sign and return the required form or giving false information or misinformation on the required questionnaire form will constitute insubordination and willful neglect of duty and may be the basis for disciplinary action, including termination of employment.
C. It is the duty of every district employee to notify the Superintendent or designee in writing within ten days of any of the following occurrences
1. If the employee enters a plea of guilty or nolo contendere to a state (any state) or federal felony charge.
2. If the employee is convicted of a state (any state) or federal felony offense.
3. If the employee enters a plea of guilty or nolo contendere to a misdemeanor offense that originally was a state (any state) or federal felony charge.
4. If the employee enters a plea of guilty or nolo contendere or has been convicted of a state (any state) or federal misdemeanor charge involving illegal chemical substances or illegal sexual activity.
5. If the employee enters into a deferred prosecution agreement with a state (any state) or federal prosecutor.
Failure to provide the referenced information in writing to the Superintendent or designee within the ten-day period may result in disciplinary action, including termination for insubordination and willful neglect of duty.
D. Each year, ten percent (10%) of the total staff (certified, support and administrative) will be randomly selected for a criminal record check to be conducted through the third-party vendor utilized for preemployment criminal record checks for all employees.
E. Under circumstances regarding an investigation of employee theft or other matter involving the safety, security, or protection of the district, individual employee background checks may be conducted.
F. Appropriate employment/disciplinary action up to and including termination of employment may be taken as warranted by information received under sections A through E above.
Adopted 8/10/98
Revised 12/10/07
Revised 12/10/12
Revised 12/14/15
Revised 11/14/16