ACLU urges schools to lift ban on all parent volunteers with felony records

[bijou]

GRAND RAPIDS -- The American Civil Liberties Union is urging the Grand Rapids Board of Education to consider circumstances of parents with a criminal past before banning felons from volunteering in their child's classroom.

Like most Kent County school districts, the city schools prohibit felons from volunteering, regardless of the nature of the offense or how long ago the conviction. It applies the same standards to volunteers as employees.

"Our research has revealed that some other school districts in Michigan employ a more individualized screening method for their volunteers," Thomas Logan, board chairman of ACLU of Michigan's Western Branch, wrote in a letter sent Tuesday to Superintendent Bernard Taylor and the school board. "For instance, Battle Creek reviews each case individually." ...

http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2010/11/aclu_urges_grand_rapids_school.html

[true_blood]

Thank God for the ACLU, huh?!

[bijou]

Thank God for the ACLU, huh?!

Sure, a school can always do with more felons.

[cavegal]

Because well a know the ACLU knows best...................NOT.........................  

[ExGeeEye]

Given what passes for "felony" these days, it might be due a little review.

They aren't all rapists.

[thundley4]

Given what passes for "felony" these days, it might be due a little review.

They aren't all rapists.

True. Banning them should be done on a case by case basis.  IIRC there was some school that banned parents from even attending school functions if they had a felony conviction.

[vesta111]

True. Banning them should be done on a case by case basis.  IIRC there was some school that banned parents from even attending school functions if they had a felony conviction.

What the hell is a felony conviction.??

I have wondered about this for years as the term sounds so awful,  but now I hear that some times a felony can involve theft of anything over $1000.00 dollars such as stealing a car or up to murder.

Now, how can one ban a man who has paid his debt to society from becoming involved with their children's education or sports????

Interesting problem here.

[ExGeeEye]

Agreed.

1.  Felonies are, frankly, too easy to commit by anyone, let alone by people who're trying to commit a misdemeanor.

2.  I think for any infraction, whether parking sideways or knocking over a bank, whatever the sentence is, once it's completes, it ought to be as though the person had never offended.  No one should have to carry the equivalent of Jean Valjean's "yellow passport".  Don't agree?  Then harsh up the penalties until you do.

3.  Some crimes can never be repaid.  Taking a life, for instance, or rape.  The question comes down to sentencing: will we take the offender's whole life, whether all at once on the gurney, or by degrees with a life sentence?  If not, then we have to be willing, out of whatever sense of mercy and grace, be willing one day that the offender will walk around free.  Really, truly, as free as you or me.

[true_blood]

Given what passes for "felony" these days, it might be due a little review. They aren't all rapists.

I do agree with this.

[ExGeeEye]

Agreed.

1.  Felonies are, frankly, too easy to commit by anyone, let alone by people who're trying to commit a misdemeanor.

2.  I think for any infraction, whether parking sideways or knocking over a bank, whatever the sentence is, once it's completed, it ought to be as though the person had never offended.  No one should have to carry the equivalent of Jean Valjean's "yellow passport".  Don't agree?  Then harsh up the penalties until you do.

3.  Some crimes can never be repaid.  Taking a life, for instance, or rape.  The question comes down to sentencing: will we take the offender's whole life, whether all at once on the gurney, or by degrees with a life sentence?  If not, then we have to be willing, out of whatever sense of mercy and grace, be willing one day that the offender will walk around free.  Really, truly, as free as you or me.

Grr.  Didn't mean to do that.  Just wanted to correct my spelling.