Record check error called a wake-up call

PORTLAND – A Scarborough man who was given the green light by the state to work in Maine schools has been found to have a lengthy criminal record that includes unlawful sexual contact with a child under age 14.

The man’s background came to light after he applied for a custodian’s job in the public schools in Portland, which routinely conduct their own criminal-background checks.

A spokesman for the state Department of Education said a new employee overlooked the man’s record that was provided by Maine State Police during the fingerprinting and screening process instituted as part of a law that took effect in 2000.

School officials said the error was a wake-up call for local districts that rely on the state’s screening process to weed out potential employees who may pose a danger to children.

“I was horrified,” said Joline Hart, human resources director for Portland schools. “We always do a criminal-records check. This time we got back page after page of criminal offenses, including a picture of him on the sex offenders Web site.”

Hart expressed her concern in a letter last month to Gov. John Baldacci and Education Commissioner Susan Gendron. Spokesmen for both acknowledged the error and said steps have been taken to ensure it won’t be repeated.

It was unclear how many of Maine’s 290 school districts conduct their own background checks and how many rely on the state to do the screening.

The Department of Education fingerprints and checks criminal records of about 25,000 applicants each year, said spokesman David Connerty-Marin. He said the incident is under review.

Baldacci has instructed the Department of Education to review all applications approved by the new employee to make sure there have been no other errors, according to his spokesman, David Farmer.

“We have no reason to believe it has happened any other time, but we are making sure,” he said.