To teach in Texas today, new applicants have to get fingerprinted. But after January 1, 2008, under a new state law, veterans in the classroom do, too.

“It’s beyond long overdue,” said Randy Burton, founder, Justice for Children.

Burton believes the new nationwide check will find teachers, administrators, even custodians who denied they committed crimes - especially sexual and violent ones.

A spokeswoman for the Texas Education Agency, which is administering the fingerprinting program, tells us it could find one to two percent of veteran teachers, up to 8,000 of them, hiding their criminal histories.

“Our highest priority should be the safety of these children,” Burton added.

There are some teachers who think fingerprinting is an invasion of privacy, some who believe Human Resources departments should have been more thorough to begin with. Overall, though teachers unions say it is a good idea as long as there are limits.

“The quickest way to lose a job in Houston is don’t tell them you were convicted of something or even charged and have them discover it when they redo your background check,” Gayle Fallon, Houston Federation of Teachers President, said.

AP

That’s the problem.

It’s up to the district to decide what is a firing offense.

No question about sexual and violent crimes.

Even drugs.

But what is OK?

“I’d hate to be held accountable for everything I did when I was 17 and 18 because I was a total airhead,” Fallon continued.

Districts have three years to complete fingerprinting.

After which, up to 8,000 veteran educators, could lose their job if their prints prove they lied.