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March 28, 2006
BRIDGEPORT — When it comes to keeping children safe, the Board of Education is flunking.
So says city resident John Bolton, who in a recent letter to Supt. of Schools John J. Ramos complained the board was letting convicted felons "have access to children."
Bolton, who two years ago unsuccessfully fought the inclusion of felons on the Fire Department's candidate list, has requested that Ramos make public a list showing school employees with felony convictions. Bolton is ranked 192 out of 609 candidates on the fire list.
However, city officials said Bolton could be waiting until a very hot place freezes over before they could produce such a list.
School officials said the district "does not keep or maintain separate files or lists of employees with criminal records." Furthermore, the Freedom of Information Act doesn't require agencies to assemble records it doesn't have.
It isn't even readily clear how many convicted criminals are employed by the school board, which has only been required to conduct background checks on all employees since 1994.
At least one well-known man with a criminal past is employed by the school board as a truant officer. But Lyle Hassan Jones Sr., whose background includes manslaughter, narcotics and forgery
convictions, has said that part of his life is "ancient history" and noted that his life in the 25 years since has included running a halfway house.
He said he told the school board about his convictions when he applied for his job.
In response to queries from administrators, Associate City Attorney John Barton said even providing readily available information could be problematic.
Bolton didn't ask about any specific person, but had he done so, the request would have to be funneled to the employee or appropriate union, Barton said.
Furthermore, Barton said that "qualified individuals" have a right to employment, depending on the nature of the crime, degree of rehabilitation and elapsed time since release.
"A convicted pedophile could and should be barred from employment as a teacher," the lawyer advised. "But a person convicted of using a cell phone while driving probably should not."
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