[Raul]

I have been trying to figure out whether or not the background checks are a good thing. I have decided that it depends on how we react to them. We should accept what FIRST is trying to accomplish and create team rules that make it safe for students in all cases, not just safety glasses and learning how to work with tools. Well, I accept what FIRST is trying to do, but I have a few concerns:

1) Just because someone’s background check shows up clean does not mean they do not have the potential to cause problems.

2) Even if they do have a tainted background, do people not deserve a second chance? By the mere fact that they are not in jail, the justice system has already decided that they are not a huge threat – just a small threat.

The point I am trying to make is that regardless of background checks, we should have team rules that monitor all activities and do not allow mentor/student situations to exist that may lead to an incident. Mature people should know better than to allow themselves to ever be put in a situation where suspicions could arise. Mentors should simply never allow themselves to be alone with one student if they are not in a very public location. That includes never giving a student a ride in a car.

And in the case where someone was found to have done something wrong in the past, could we not just discuss it with them and make sure they can only be with students when other adults are present?



Raul