NY Private And Religious Schools Get Failing Grade On Fingerprint Checks To Expose Pedophiles

Fewer than 1 percent of New York's 1,900 private schools run fingerprint checks on job applicants to screen for sex offenses and other criminal behavior.

Schools failing on perv fingerprint checks

GINGER ADAMS OTIS • New York Post

Fewer than 1 percent of the state's 1,900 private schools run fingerprint checks on job applicants to screen for sex offenses and other criminal behavior, The Post has learned.

Statewide, only 17 private schools have submitted fingerprints since a 2007 law granted them the right, says the state Education Department.

Unlike public schools, private schools are not required by law to do extensive background checks. The 2007 law stopped short of making it mandatory.

Fingerprinting is a far more reliable way than a simple name check to look for priors, said lawyer Elliot Pasik, a member of an advocacy group that wants Albany to require all schools to fingerprint.

"Many do run applicants' names, but there are a lot of mistakes with that. People can give false identities, for example. It's very imperfect," said Pasik, who filed a Freedom of Information request with the state to find out which private schools ran fingerprints since 2007.

But state officials note that, so far, none of the background checks run by the Education Department for private schools has yielded an applicant with a criminal history.

[Hat Tips: Joey D, The Other DK.]

Update 6:00 pm – Here's the letter from the State of NY to Pasik in PDF file format:

Download Fingerprints Letter_to_Jewish_Board-1,pdf

There appears to be only one Jewish school – a Modern Orthodox yeshiva day school – who ran fingerprints on their staff.

[Hat Tip: The Other DK.]

Comments

[PhD from Russia]

Lol, since to be Melamed is a dirty, not respected and low-paid job, it mostly attracts pedophiles, sadists and other pervert. To perform proper background cheeks for the applicants for teaching position in Haredi schools means to have zero eligible candidates.

[zach]

"PhD" - you're an idiot. Yes, it's a low paid job, but it still attracts many, many wonderful people who value Torah for its own sake.

[PhD from Russia]

Zach,

Indeed not only money. Respect and status are ven more important in Haredi word. But Melamdim do not have even normal status. You know better than me that being a Melamed is not considered respected carrier for Torah Scholar. The status of Melamed in Haredi word is far-far away down even from regular Kollel Student. Bocher that plans to be Melamed is so-so Shiduch, everybody know it. Kids of Melamdim in Shiduch market not in the level as kids of Rabonim or Heads of Yeshiva. I will not call you "idiot" in return how you called me for saying the true, instead I will say you stop to play yourself idiot.

[harold]

NY Private And Religious Schools Get Failing Grade On Fingerprint Checks To Expose Pedophiles

Nonsense! If it was important then they would have mandated them. If you don’t require them then don’t complain if they don’t do it. Can’t have your cake and eat it.

Its like telling someone that attending a certain class is not mandatory then the next day berate anyone who did not attend the class by telling them “Why did you not attend the class?”

[the chabad house next door]

PHD ONLY from Russia

[Shmarya]

Nonsense! If it was important then they would have mandated them. If you don’t require them then don’t complain if they don’t do it. Can’t have your cake and eat it.

Moron.

For years, the Catholic Church and Agudah have jointly fought mandating these background checks.

You'd know that, troll, if you weren't so busy covering for them and Chabad.

[harold]

Moron.

For years, the Catholic Church and Agudah have jointly fought mandating these background checks

Irregardless, if it was important they would mandate it over the objections of the Church and Agudah. I guess I could see the problem with an obtrusive check, but the fingerprint check, I see no reason why it should have any major problems with its implementation.

By the way, I cant figure out which is worse, Moron, Idiot or Jerk. Anyway I do like the variety and I know how good it makes you feel.

[Shmarya]

What type of defect do you have, 'harold'?

The Church and Agudah have successfully blocked reams of bills trying to curtail child sexual abuse, mostly because those bills make it easier for victims to sue the Church and yeshivot.

NY State, with its large Catholic population and with its large and bloc-voting hasidic and haredi population, has had great difficulty overcoming the roadblocks set by the Church and Agudah.

This is very public knowledge.

But the troll 'harold' – who has commented here on posts mentioning this – feigns that he doesn't know anything about it.

You're a liar, 'harold.' And, yes, you are also a moron, idiot and a jerk.

Just ask any haredi kid who has been raped by one of his teachers.

[steve]

This needs to be made mandatory. The NYS legislature has been dragging its feet for over four years already.

[Elliot Pasik]

Thanks for posting!

Elliot Pasik

[Pessie Gelb]

I was arrested in my apartment in williamsburg on the first day of shaviois. The police took me to Woodhull Hospital psychiatric ward where the psychiatrist on duty told the police that I am not mentally ill. Afterwards the police took me to the 90th precinct and beat me up, mugshotted me and took my fingerprints and made me spend the night in a holding cell at the police station. The next day after not finding any crime that they could charge me with they realeased me but wouldnt let me walk home and insisted that they drive me home on the 2nd day of yomtov.
The only crimes that I have commited are making a mesira on my husband for molesting my daughter and trying to get my husband to stop refusing to give me a get. I am on the internet trying to get people to help me because I dont know what else to do. none of the jewish organizations that help oppressed women want to help me because they are scared of my abusive husband and his very rich family.

[A E ANDERSON]

Dear Mrs. Gelb:

Pardon the French, but I've seen your name around before, and I must ask you one burning question.

You seem like a major nut case, looney tune, whacked out chick, and so on. And I presume you're as butt ugly as your tales are pathetic. This said, why would any (presumably deaf and blind) man who married you not be running, not walking, to give you a get and be rid of you and your incessant, unending sniveling forevermore!!???!!!!

I'm not even married to you, Mrs. Gelb, but I'd be delighted to give a get. Or pretty much anything it would take to get you back to the nuthouse that you seem to escape from regularly. And, as Archie regularly told Edith, S-T-I-F-L-E-!

[harold]

You're a liar, 'harold.' And, yes, you are also a moron, idiot and a jerk.

Wow, this must be a record. I am honored.

Anyway, the spin that is being perpetrated here is the silly implied message that private schools WANT to attract sexual deviants to be teachers and therefore are fighting having prospective teacher fingerprinted lest they be deprived from acquiring one of those golden nuggets.

Again, as long as they don't mandate the requirement of having new teachers fingerprinted then they have no right to complain.

I don't know maybe it is expensive to get one fingerprinted, I don't know, does anyone know if the state pays for these testing?

I know that if I wanted a babysitter for my granddaughter do I run to get a fingerprint report of the sitter? Of course not! It is a hassle and probably would cost a pretty penny. I am satisfied with a positive recommendation from a friend. Does that mean that I don't love my granddaughter - of course not!

I still firmly believe (despite all my illustrious titles) that ALL schools would reject a new teacher if they were told and therefore knew that the prospective teacher molested children.

[Shmarya]

Process, 'harold':

Many haredi schools have harbored KNOWN molesters.

Think (provided you can think, which is a real question) Satmar protecting Reichman and Torah Temimah protecting Kolko.

The problem with fingerprint background checks is that they expose molesters and other criminals, and haredi leaders are very afraid of that.

[harold]

Process, 'Scotty':

If you read what I wrote I clearly stated fingerprinting NEW teachers. I can clearly understand (not condone) the problem of background checking EXISTING teachers since that is where a scandal could occur. If a background check reveals that, as an example, an existing teacher of 15 years had a problem in his/her past that is a scandal. However there would be no scandal if a brand new prospective teacher fails a background check and therefore never gets hired. There is no scandal there and nothing newsworthy to worry about.

Just look at the two headlines and you will see what I mean:

(1)“A background check uncovered that John Smith, a teacher of 15 years at Anytown Elementary School has a history of sexually abusing children.”

(2)“John Smith, who applied to teach at Anytown Elementary School has been rejected because a background check uncovered that he has a history of sexually abusing children.”

The first case is a scandal; the second is dodging a bullet.

All journeys begins with a single step, what I am saying is push for background checks for NEW teachers and I think it will find less objections and be easier to push through.

This does not preclude the obvious of remaining vigilant to any aberrant behavior and stop it in its tracks.

[PhD from Russia]

You are so right Harold

And these molesters that so know for their dirty history that even Haredi schools in the US cannot hire them any more, they sent as "shluchim" to Russia and Eastern Europe to teach/to be chancellors in Jewish schools/summer camps there. It is very known practice, shipping out of sexual predators and similar pseudo-human garbage to "shlihus". If Rabbinical establishment do not care so much about the safety of Jewish kids from American families, Russian/Eastern Europeans is not considered by American Rabbis to be human beings at all.

[Shmarya]

If you read what I wrote I clearly stated fingerprinting NEW teachers. I can clearly understand (not condone) the problem of background checking EXISTING teachers since that is where a scandal could occur. If a background check reveals that, as an example, an existing teacher of 15 years had a problem in his/her past that is a scandal. However there would be no scandal if a brand new prospective teacher fails a background check and therefore never gets hired. There is no scandal there and nothing newsworthy to worry about.

And you wonder why I call you idiot and moron.

1. New teachers have often previously been camp counselors or have taught elsewhere, so the scandal still exists.

2. Background checks are meant to be run on all school personnel no matter how long they've been employed.

3. Like the Church, Agudah's opposition to mandatory background checks is largely due to Agudah's fear of lawsuits brought by families whose children have been victimized.

[Abracadabra]

For those of you who care to do something about this, you can start by signing the following petition:

http://www.nychildvictimsact.org/

Next, you can write a letter or email to you New York State Senators and tell them that you want them to SUPPORT the MARKEY BILL (this will make fingerprinting mandatory in private schools). If you don't know who your New York State Senator is, go to the following site and type in your address on the top left:

http://www.nysenate.gov/senators

Next, write or email your New York State Assembly Member asking them to support the Markey Bill. You can find your Assembly Member on this site by typing in your zip code:

http://assembly.state.ny.us/mem/

If you want to counteract the Catholic Church's push NOT to make fingerprinting mandatory then put your money where your mouth is and WRITE LETTERS or even ONE LETTER will make a difference!

And don't fool yourselves, the Catholic Church is much more powerful in New York State than the Agudah (who just jumped onto their bandwagon to block the bill because they are afraid some yeshivos will get sued!).

If your state Assembly Member and your State Senator know what YOU, the voting public, wants, they will think twice before bowing into pressure from the Catholic Church.

Make your vote COUNT by writing a letter, putting it in an envelope and putting a stamp on it. They count those snail-mail letters as equivalent to 10 emails!! Why? Because they know that if you went through the trouble to write and snail-mail a letter, then you MEAN what you write about, and will vote accordingly (either for or against them in the next election).

Go ahead - make your voice heard!

[harold]

1. New teachers have often previously been camp counselors or have taught elsewhere, so the scandal still exists

There is no scandal to the institution contemplating his or her hiring since a revelation of prior convictions does not reflect on the institution doing the current hiring.

2. Background checks are meant to be run on all school personnel no matter how long they've been employed.

That is the sticky point that is holding up the works and the one that my suggestion is trying to remove.

3. Like the Church, Agudah's opposition to mandatory background checks is largely due to Agudah's fear of lawsuits brought by families whose children have been victimized.

It is this quest for the buck that is preventing future tragedies from being addressed. Again an uncovering of prior convictions will not result in a lawsuit being brought against the institution doing a background check on someone that they are contemplating hiring.

[Shmarya]

There is no scandal to the institution contemplating his or her hiring since a revelation of prior convictions does not reflect on the institution doing the current hiring.

Idiot. Often these teachers previously taught at institutions headed by other members of Agudah's rabbinic leadership.

>>>Background checks are meant to be run on all school personnel no matter how long they've been employed.

Idiot. The point of background checks is to ferret out and remove molesters, not all allow molesters who are longtime employees to remain.

≥≥≥Like the Church, Agudah's opposition to mandatory background checks is largely due to Agudah's fear of lawsuits brought by families whose children have been victimized.

Moron. Do victims have the right to redress? Who should pay for what often turns into dozens of years of their therapy?

Shills like you are perfectly content to let the victims pay for their own therapy, just as you are perfectly content to allow molesters to work at schools.

You're a sick man, 'harold.'

[harold]

Idiot. Often these teachers previously taught at institutions headed by other members of Agudah's rabbinic leadership.

Again, an uncovering of prior sexual convictions will not lead to a public scandal since the individual, being that he is looking for a job, is off everyone's radar since all that happens is that the inquiring institution will simply reject the candidate. Problems and dilemma’s occur when a current employed member of a faculty of many years whose past record of sexual convictions surface then the lawsuits and scandals occur (a) why was this person hired (b) why did no one get rid of him earlier (c) there must have been a cover up to keep him there – capiche? There is a world of difference between having a sexual offender under your employ vs. the simple act of rejection of a potential candidate due to negative background info uncovered.

Idiot. The point of background checks is to ferret out and remove molesters, not all allow molesters who are longtime employees to remain.

True, but as you said before that is being blocked. My suggestion was meant to ferret out future molesters. Many times laws get enacted which allow what would under terms of the new law to be illegal to remain under what is known as Grandfather Clause. The idea being to move forward and to not stir up a hornets nest with a prior condition. I am not saying allow prior sexual crimes to be forgiven, but to find a way to move forward with a screening process that doesn’t rock the boat.

Moron. Do victims have the right to redress? Who should pay for what often turns into dozens of years of their therapy?

That is an issue of the past; I am trying to address how to move forward with steps to prevent future abuse. Anyway background checks are not required to ferret out past abusers because the victims know who their abusers are and hence are not at issue with regards to fingerprint checks, which is more an issue of statute of limitations, a horse of a different color.

Two idiots and a moron, not bad!

[Shmarya]

Again, an uncovering of prior sexual convictions will not lead to a public scandal since the individual, being that he is looking for a job, is off everyone's radar since all that happens is that the inquiring institution will simply reject the candidate.

Please.

Are you really this stupid? Or is this some kind of a troll act?

If Teacher A applies for a job at school B, and is found out to be a molester, the scandal – and, more importantly, the financial responsibility – falls on School A where Teacher A was previously teaching.

This is especially true when School A spent years avoiding background checks, and when School A covered up allegations of abuse.

Further, because many of these haredi schools are headed by men who are tied to Agudah, the scandal attaches itself to Agudah.

Many times laws get enacted which allow what would under terms of the new law to be illegal to remain under what is known as Grandfather Clause. The idea being to move forward and to not stir up a hornets nest with a prior condition. I am not saying allow prior sexual crimes to be forgiven, but to find a way to move forward with a screening process that doesn’t rock the boat.

You want to grandfather in prior sexual abuse.

That speaks volumes about you, and those volumes are not good.

>>>Do victims have the right to redress? Who should pay for what often turns into dozens of years of their therapy?

No, 'harold,' these are issues of the PRESENT because these victims need therapy and often cannot pay for it. And they shouldn't be expected to pay for it either – the yeshivot and their insurance companies should foot the bill.

Anyway background checks are not required to ferret out past abusers because the victims know who their abusers are and hence are not at issue with regards to fingerprint checks, which is more an issue of statute of limitations, a horse of a different color.

Please.

Victims come forward all the time, and institutions like Satmar's UTJ and Lipa Margulies's Torah Temimah kept the abusers as teachers.

How did they do that?

By disparaging the victims and by saying there was no proof of the allegations.

But fingerprints, 'harold,' are proof.

[Hometown Postville]

Requiring background checks is a good start to weeding out the pedophiles in the system. However, the problem lies with the many who have gone for years undetected and have never been convicted. They just float around from school to school continuing their lifestyle. Hopefully, by drawing more attention to these deviants, parents will be more willing to challenge teacher's credibility and educate their children on what to do if they suspect intentions are less than honorable.

[harold]

You want to grandfather in prior sexual abuse

Process this

This what I wrote ->

The idea being to move forward and to not stir up a hornets nest with a prior condition. I am not saying allow prior sexual crimes to be forgiven, but to find a way to move forward with a screening process that doesn’t rock the boat.

Please pay attention th the bolded quote above, to repeat "I am not saying allow prior sexual crimes to be forgiven"

For some reason you still accused me wanting to grandfather in an absolution of prior sexual abuse. Amazing! My reference to the Grandfathering process was to show how a process can be enacted that only affects future actions. This Grandfathering process simply has no relevance to prior actions. In the case what I was referring to was simply the process of fingerprinting NEW teachers and not fingerprinting existing teachers.

Amazing how a simple attempt to suggest a way of moving away from the deadlock that currently exists turns to this absurd exchange of spins sprinkled with idiots and morons (I don’t think there was a jerk, maybe the next comment will include it).

[A E ANDERSON]

I am missing something... if the haredim don't report their own as molesters, then wouldn't a fingerprint check fail to flag the unreported haredi Chester the molester who has not been reported!?

[Moshe]

99.9 percent of child molesters have never been arrested, let alone convicted. Fingerprinting in Jewish schools, where we pretty much know about everyone is just a “feel good” solution that accomplishes absolutely nothing.

Doing research on staff is 1000 times more effective.

Yeshivas view fingerprinting as a total waste of valuable time, and rightfully so.

We need to put an end to these “feel good” measures that do nothing, but get politicians attention, and come up with better ideas.

[Shmarya]

find a way to move forward with a screening process that doesn’t rock the boat.

Idiot.

And that way would be what? Prevent all civil suits related to these tests?

Brilliant! 'harold' you're a genius!

Then the molesters and the yeshivot that ignored evidence against them and participated in covering up their crimes won't be punished in any way!

Yes, 'harold' the dull haredi troll has found a solution!

Allow the criminals to walk free while the victims are left to suffer!

Precess that, 'harold.'

[Shmarya]

99.9 percent of child molesters have never been arrested, let alone convicted. Fingerprinting in Jewish schools, where we pretty much know about everyone is just a “feel good” solution that accomplishes absolutely nothing.

Actually, you'd be surprised at the number of molesters who have been in the system and whose prints are on file, even if they were never convicted or even charged.

Past that, even if it only stops 1% or 10% of molesters from working in schools, it will still save many children's lives.

[harold]

Idiot.

And that way would be what? Prevent all civil suits related to these tests?

Brilliant! 'harold' you're a genius!

Then the molesters and the yeshivot that ignored evidence against them and participated in covering up their crimes won't be punished in any way!

Yes, 'harold' the dull haredi troll has found a solution!

Allow the criminals to walk free while the victims are left to suffer!

Precess that, 'harold.'

You keep on coming back to the cash grab. I did not address or was it my intension to touch about PAST grievances. I was speaking - and I will try to say it S L O W L Y with as few words as possible –

fingerprinting new teaching applicants - nothing more - nothing less.

Talk about thick!

[Shmarya]

No, 'harold,' this is what you wrote:The idea being to move forward and to not stir up a hornets nest with a prior condition. I am not saying allow prior sexual crimes to be forgiven, but to find a way to move forward with a screening process that doesn’t rock the boat.Not rock the boat?

Please.

What you said there and previously clearly means that what you are calling for is all current teachers to either, a) not be fingerprinted or, b) all civil suits against those said current teachers and the yeshivot to be barred.

That means victims will continue to suffer, to pay tens of thousands of dollars each for their own therapy to recover from the rapes, and that active molesters who are curently teaching will avoid having their fingerprints taken and compared to criminal databases.

This is what 'harold' the troll calls moderation.

What it is really is a get out of jail free card for every yeshiva and molester who teaches in them in New York State.

And 'harold' the haredi troll is bright enough to know that.

[harold]

Not rock the boat?

What you said there and previously clearly means that what you are calling for is all current teachers to either, a) not be fingerprinted or, b) all civil suits against those said current teachers and the yeshivot to be barred.

I am calling for NOTHING. What I am saying is that there are issues involving background checks of all employed staff that is causing a stalemate and of which I do not wish to address and am not addressing I am simply saying (for the umpteenth time) that to fingerprint new teachers, would in my opinion, circumvent the stalemate and allow the checking on new applicants to go forward. If you believe that this too would be opposed, then so be it, it a simple suggestion that I am forwarding, nothing more and nothing less.

[Shmarya]

it a simple suggestion that I am forwarding, nothing more and nothing less.

No, 'harold.' What you are proposing is to leave the vast majority of religious school teacher unchecked, with all the the consequences – and more – that I mentioned above.

[hmmmm]

There is something you all are missing...As someone who has founded and run a community organization, I can assure you that if they are not fingering printing their staff then they are also not properly INSURED, as well...Which may also mean that they are not properly licensed or permitted by the state which they operate in.

There is no INS co that i could (find when i was pricing out policies a few years ago)which insures schools and/or organizations that work with children or young adults unless that organization fingerprints and does background checks on staff...

so...the fact that they arent fingerprinting not only means that they are failing to properly screen and filter their staffs...but it also means, that in almost all cases...they do not have the adequate unsurance policies in place, may or may not be permitted or licensed by the state and/or are failing or neglected to comply with many other state regulations (zoning, taxes, etc.)...