@PsyGuy

Yes, the experience was not teaching related, but it did occur in a country where I have significant teaching experience. It seems I should ghost the experience in case I would ever be asked to produce a background check from every country that I've ever taught in. What percentage of IS's want every background check from every country that you have taught in? How do you ghost 3-4 years in the middle of your career without raising questions?

As an aside, Search Associates asks for every address that you have held in the last 10 years. Why? Do they investigate this info?

Finally, will my current principal see my updated CV that is missing key experience when she fills out my reference on Search, or will that not be made available?

An update on my situation.

As sid suggested, I conducted an international background check on myself. I gave the background check service many details to aid them in their search, including addresses, case # etc. They were not able to find any evidence of my situation. This gives me some peace of mind.

I am now considering PsyGuy's suggestion to ghost my experience in that country and start a new job search. However, there is the temptation to keep that experience on my CV with the expectation that international schools and/or recruiting agencies will not require a background check from every country that I have worked in, but rather solely from my home country and current location.

Thoughts?

Sid, I am going to take your advice and conduct an investigation on myself to see what turns up. I am wondering what companies / processes international schools use to conduct international background checks? Does anyone know?

Also, from people's experience, do schools contacts only your most recent employers or do they contact employers from 5+ years ago?

Thank you matts1w, vandsmith and sid for your thoughtful replies and advice. I wanted to mention that the criminal conviction is now considered 'spent' in the country in which it took place. Does this make a difference? Would it still turn up in a background check?

I've also read some advice on this forum about "ghosting" a year or two on a CV, would this be useful in this situation?

I do want to be honest as I can't even explain how difficult it has been to be looking over my shoulder, but I have trouble believing any school would ever hire me. It's a matter of accountability for the administration. If they knowingly hire me having a criminal record, especially one with a violent crime, it puts their career at risk. If I was an administrator, I would not hire me knowing the truth. How do you explain that one to parents and other stakeholders if the information came to light?

Ok, I'll just go for it.

6 years ago, while travelling internationally, I was charged with the equivalent of an assault. I had been a teacher in that country before, but was not teaching at the time. I served 9 weeks in prison. While in prison, my tourist visa expired, and following my release from prison, I was deported from this country. I will not get into the nitty-gritty details and tell you how innocent I was, save to say that I was acting in self-defense and if it had been my own country, I would not have been arrested, nor charged. I can say that although I was protecting myself, and did not use excessive force, I did allow myself to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, and for that I paid the price.

In my job search following my release, I spoke to an administrator who had been recruiting me for her school for the previous 2 years. I told her about my situation and she told me that she still wanted to hire me but that she would have to run it by the board of directors. Two weeks later, as expected, the answer was a "sorry, I really want you on my staff, but the board said no".

I eventually found a job in a good international school in another country. I did not have to lie, as I wasn't asked to provide a criminal background check and I wasn't asked any questions about any legal issues in the past. I can provide a clean criminal record check from my home country, and from my current country of residence. However, if a school asks me for, or simply conducts a criminal record check from every country that I have ever worked in, then this offense will likely turn up.

I have many questions and very few answers. I have thought about ending my international school teaching career. After 5 years at my current school, I am considering beginning a job search, but I am wary for obvious reasons. When international schools conduct background checks, do the external background check organizations include all countries that can be checked, or do they just check the countries on your CV? What kind of checks do various governments do?

I definitely have a moral dilemma. I believe in being forthright, but I also understand that if I volunteer this information, it is highly likely that I will not find work. I also believe in second chances. I am a passionate, committed international teacher with 10 years of experience and 3 very good references. I care about teaching and about helping kids. In any case, I'm trying to figure out what my next step should be.

Any kind of advice would be great.

Specifically background checks. Have had a legal issue (not related to kids/school) in a foreign country.

I would like to have a private conversation with anyone who has any knowledge or experience regarding visas and immigration issues related to international teaching. Please PM me or reply to this thread if you are willing to discuss with me.

Thank you.