In light of recent events, including most notably the resignation of Des Moines, Iowa Superintendent Ian Roberts due to a host of unethical actions, many parents are rightly asking, “Have those closest to my children, in their public school, been properly vetted by my school board and my district’s hiring committee?” As parents, we want to be able to trust that elected or hired school officials are doing everything possible to protect the safety and sanctity of the schools where our children are spending 8 hours a day. Parents have expressed concerns over student violence, bullying and the ever-present ideology that has permeated our schools. Now they are asking a most basic question: What has been done to vet adults in my child’s school?

Defending Education wants to equip parents with some basic questions that can be posed to their school leadership. This list is not exhaustive; rather, it is meant as a starting point so parents can ask questions of their district, understand the vetting process, and suggest changes when necessary. As always, reach out to Defending Education if we can help. A great starting point would be to request a district Town Hall, where leadership can explain the vetting process to parents, answer questions, and you can work together as a community to make changes necessary to ensure only qualified, vetted adults are accessing our schools and children.

School Board questions to get the dialogue started:

Does our district require E-Verify, to verify the identity and legal status of those applying for positions in our district? Why or why not?

If our district does require E-Verify, does our district routinely go back and review any employees who were hired prior to the implementation of E-Verify?

How does the school board verify educational credentials on resumes of potential hires – or current employees?

Was a search company hired to conduct recruiting, like a Superintendent search? If so, parents can review these contracts. Does the contract mention verification of information provided by the candidate or is the information taken at face value?

Does the district require thorough background checks of ALL employees? If not, why? If so, how often are these background checks conducted? Is it only once at hiring?

The local school board often has the ultimate responsibility for hiring at the Superintendent level. How is this Board ensuring the accuracy of information provided by the search firm/committee and candidate?