Scott Sanford worked closely enough with East Greenwich schoolchildren to give them treats on the school bus. But the friendly bus monitor was not a “school employee.” This meant he was not legally required to pass a national criminal background check before he started working with East Greenwich schoolchildren, including the son of a state lawmaker. Sanford’s employment with a third-party contractor drew attention in November when the 35-year-old town resident was arrested by state police on child pornography charges. The father of the 11-year-old boy who rode on the bus with Sanford, testified before state lawmakers in a bid to expand the state law on criminal background checks. “What this bill does is it simply tightens up the existing law that we have,” Rep. Antonio Giarrusso, R-East Greenwich, told the House Committee on Health Education and Welfare. The bill adds employees of third-party vendors and contract employees who work at schools to the list of individuals who must pass a national criminal background check under state law, said Special Assistant Attorney General Joee M.
Lindbeck. That new language and other changes would give greater protection to children, Lindbeck said.
Rhode Island Bill Expands Background Checks for Third-party School Employees
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