Who Do You Trust?

[ChrisH]

First, lets get clear what you're asking. It sounds, from the little information you've given, like you are refering to the possibility that one or more persons who have been convicted of sexual crimes involving minors might be helping your team.

Don't allow this.

No matter how helpful these individuals might be. It will never be entirely safe for either your students or for them to be involved. Yes they may have "served their time". Yes they may seem to be or may in fact be reformed. But it is not fair to allow them to be in a position to be tempted. They have already fallen once, it is oh so much easier to fall a second time.

Please notice I have focused on the need to protect the offender from the possibility of offending again. This is not because I think that he is a "bad" person or has not "paid his debt". He may be very sincere in his belief that he is cured. He might even be right.

But do you both want to find out the hard way that he was sincerely mistaken? What happens then? He goes back into the justice system, this time as a repeat offender. That much bigger of a debt to pay, and a much harder time when he finishes paying.
Not to mention the damage done to his victims, which can be considerable and may have repercussions for decades to come.

Think of it this way, would you want to hire a reformed alcoholic as your wine steward? You might want to help him out. He might have been sober for years. But is it really a good idea to give him easy access to something you know he had a problem with in the past. What about the one time he has a bad day? Do you want to be the person who takes away the fences keeping him on the straight and narrow? If you are, then you are partially responsible for anything that happens afterward. This is true in a legal sense as well as a moral one. (It is the legal sense that will scare most school districts the most)

If you really want to help our formerly tipsy wine steward, you find him a different job. Like as a gardener.

BTW The two adult rule mentioned above is a good idea. We practice it ourselves and it certainly reduces the possibility of problems. But it does not entirely eliminate them. Ask any one of a number of youth organizations.