Hello all. As I have begun searching and hopefully securing my first position abroad, I was curious about school safety for my almost school-age children. Being a US public school teacher, we have CORI checks to ensure that none of us are criminals and are safe to work around children. Is there any such check performed by international schools?
Also, has anyone with children who has been abroad had any concerns related to the safety of their children be it 'fishiness' of a school employee in regards to their children, etc..? I will also post on the blog. Just wanted to cast my net wider for audiences here.
Thanks! Good luck to everyone looking for a position!
Safety of International schools
Hi mathteacher,
sadly, at my last place, there WAS an issue that surfaced. A teacher had a past, but it was 20 years in the past. He had been teaching overseas since the incident (which occurred in the States), and had never been found out (through 2 or 3 jobs). He finally decided to return to the States to face the charges, but this case highlights how easy it is to hide things if a school does not do its due diligence in the hiring process. Of course, this teacher was completely above-board in terms of behaviour and teaching practice - many parents did not believe that he had done anything and that the charges were unfounded - and I don't have information either way, but he was a good teacher in the classroom (from what I saw) and the students loved him as a teacher.
I would question any school whose application is not comprehensive. Our school went from a cursory "who are you as a teacher" application to an 18-page application with various background checks and information requests. Overboard, yes. A guarantee of safety, of course not. I think overseas, it is difficult to be sure of anything.
AND, I've been watching old episodes of [/i]Alias[i], so EVERYTHING is supsect at the moment!
[/i]
sadly, at my last place, there WAS an issue that surfaced. A teacher had a past, but it was 20 years in the past. He had been teaching overseas since the incident (which occurred in the States), and had never been found out (through 2 or 3 jobs). He finally decided to return to the States to face the charges, but this case highlights how easy it is to hide things if a school does not do its due diligence in the hiring process. Of course, this teacher was completely above-board in terms of behaviour and teaching practice - many parents did not believe that he had done anything and that the charges were unfounded - and I don't have information either way, but he was a good teacher in the classroom (from what I saw) and the students loved him as a teacher.
I would question any school whose application is not comprehensive. Our school went from a cursory "who are you as a teacher" application to an 18-page application with various background checks and information requests. Overboard, yes. A guarantee of safety, of course not. I think overseas, it is difficult to be sure of anything.
AND, I've been watching old episodes of [/i]Alias[i], so EVERYTHING is supsect at the moment!
[/i]
My initial thought was that you were being overly precious and paranoid.
Then, I thought back over the 5 international schools at which I have worked, and realized you have a point.
Only one (a school in Belgium) required a criminal check for the work visa. The others, which include some very well regarded schools in Asia, did not require a criminal record check.
The saving grace is that in order to get my teacher certification updated, I need to get a criminal record clearance. And that certification has been required by my employers.
I suppose all you can do is raise this question with your new school, and be vigilant.
Then, I thought back over the 5 international schools at which I have worked, and realized you have a point.
Only one (a school in Belgium) required a criminal check for the work visa. The others, which include some very well regarded schools in Asia, did not require a criminal record check.
The saving grace is that in order to get my teacher certification updated, I need to get a criminal record clearance. And that certification has been required by my employers.
I suppose all you can do is raise this question with your new school, and be vigilant.
Reply
It depends A LOT on where you go. In the UK you have to undergo an enhanced CRB (which differs from a standard CRB check). In western europe various agencies conduct a background checks through local police and INTERPOL. In asia things get a less focused. Many good schools will require a certified state or National (FBI) background check.
This wasnt until recently (2010) that US citizens citizens could even get a copy of their FBI criminal background.
Other schools will simply use an online records search (costs are as low as a couple dollars when ordered in advance in bulk). If anything "bad" comes up the school may require further clarification either an explanation or evidence that the record is in error.
DOS schools will often consult with the US consulates security director with a list of teacher names and ask "is there anyone on this list that shouldnt be working with children". They cant disclose what they find, but they will reply back and call if there is someone that raises a red flag.
British schools can and will do the same with their respective diplomatic missions.
Lastly, a fair number of schools will just verify that a teaching certificate is valid, and assume that a teacher with a valid certificate which hasnt been revoked or suspended is fine.
This wasnt until recently (2010) that US citizens citizens could even get a copy of their FBI criminal background.
Other schools will simply use an online records search (costs are as low as a couple dollars when ordered in advance in bulk). If anything "bad" comes up the school may require further clarification either an explanation or evidence that the record is in error.
DOS schools will often consult with the US consulates security director with a list of teacher names and ask "is there anyone on this list that shouldnt be working with children". They cant disclose what they find, but they will reply back and call if there is someone that raises a red flag.
British schools can and will do the same with their respective diplomatic missions.
Lastly, a fair number of schools will just verify that a teaching certificate is valid, and assume that a teacher with a valid certificate which hasnt been revoked or suspended is fine.