Criminal Background Checks for Ohio Schools' Bus Drivers in Question

Last month, Columbus, Ohio, police arrested a person who drives the bus for one of the schools in Columbus, Ohio. The driver was found with possession of cocaine and further investigation commissioned each had three previous convictions for driving under the influence of alcohol.

First Student, Inc. is a private company, which employs the driver and provides bus driver for many of the Ohio schools. They employ 22,000 drivers, more than 500 school districts in 38 states over theLand transport of nearly two million children each school day. Of the 20,000 bus drivers in the schools, Ohio, 3000-to-5, 000 work for private contractors. State law requires that the Ohio school bus driver for a commercial driver's license and a criminal background check by Ohio's Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation have.

After the arrest of the driver, First Student discovered it was not fully completed criminal background checks on allhis driver. Service to the Columbus Ohio Schools were suspended and the district canceled classes for the day to allow the company backgrounds Check records for other such gaps checked.

Spokeswoman Jennifer Robinson assured the audience through the hundreds of First Student, the required background checks and fingerprints submitted to the Bureau since 2004, although said Alex Goepfert, spokesman for the Attorney General of the State Office that the company had not submitted anythingsince this year. She also stated that First Student performs all background checks by a private company and believes the arrested driver is an isolated case of omission.

Ed Simpson, chief of policy and administration for the Office of the Attorney General, the search for a better way to improve enforcement of background checks for school bus driver, Ohio law and to ensure this oversight does not occur again.

Attorney General Marc then met with ColumbusArea legislators to discuss ways that the law can be strengthened. Failure to observe these criminal background checks is a misdemeanor under the law. According to Simpson, then also investigated whether criminal proceedings are brought or administrative action against First Student.

First Student's supervisor has other school districts in the Ohio schools ask their drivers. Robinson stated that First Student conducting a comprehensive review of all OhioSchool Bus "driver.

Columbus, Ohio school district is evaluating its procedures and if they cancel their contract with First Student. Cincinnati Ohio School District has asked First Student and the two other private bus drivers to submit their provider criminal background screenings for further review, the review of background checks by the state, and every two years on site by a private company every six months. Dayton, Ohio school district hired its ownDriver background checks and review monthly. According to the spokesman, Lorain and Elyria, Ohio school districts have been assured by First Student that appropriate checks had been completed on all their drivers.

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