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Council To Vote On Background Checks For Youth Recreation Leagues
By Keith Hagarty
When Dan Castra first learned that criminal history background checks weren't required by the township for the coaches and volunteers involved in his 8-year-old son's soccer league, he was taken aback. The league conducted tests on its own, yes, but it was done voluntarily; no law stated that it must do so.
"I was shocked," said the New Prospect Road resident. "I just assumed that in this day and age everyone was checked out. These are people who are spending hours with our kids and they all seem great from what I've seen. But you just never know."
Those sentiments are shared by most parents in Jackson, including those of the township council, which will be voting on an ordinance Tuesday calling for mandatory background checks to be conducted on those coming into contact with children in the town's youth recreation leagues.
The ordinance would require that anyone involved with children in a youth recreation program, whether coaching, umpiring, managing, or serving in any supervisory capacity undergo a background check.
The ordinance further states that any prospective or current employees would be required to submit their name, date of birth, address, fingerprints, written consent and any other required information. Failure to comply with the requirements would result in a disqualification of the individual form the program.
In fact, most major recreational leagues such as Pop Warner and Little League have long conducted background checks on their volunteers. The law, however, did not require them to do so. The action was totally voluntary.
Soon, those voluntary checks will be a
matter of law.
Councilman Scott Martin called children "our golden treasures." As the father of two kids, he said it was incumbent upon him and the council to address the issue.
"Taking a pro-active approach to government, as we all do all the time we're up here, I asked (Township Clerk) Ann Marie Eden to do a little research for us ... She confirmed there was no ordinance requiring background checks," said Martin, who then contacted Township Attorney George Gilmore to draft an ordinance to address the issue.
"I can't think of anything more important," he said.
After initially proposing the ordinance in August with Councilwoman Ann Updegrave, the council carried the vote citing some confusing language as proposed, as well as the need to meet with representatives from recreational leagues throughout Jackson.
The amended ordinance now includes the flexibility of allowing the organizations to hire a private individual or firm to conduct the criminal history and sex offender checks for their organization, with the names of everyone involved then submitted to the township.
Jackson took a stance against convicted sex offenders and pedophiles last year when the former township committee passed a measure barring anyone over the age of 18 who is a registered sex offender from living within 2,500 feet of any school, park, playground or day-care center in Jackson. If a registered sex offender is found to be living in a location in violation of the ordinance, he or she will have 60 days from written notification to move elsewhere.
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