The new school superintendent has put a tougher process in place to screen potential employees.
James Connelly, hired last week to be the interim superintendent, said the district’s lack of a formal vetting process left the school district vulnerable.
He told the school board Tuesday about a school district in Montville that hired an employee who was later arrested on sex charges. The employee had previously resigned from a school district for watching pornography on a computer at school.
The employee was hired in Montville because of the district’s weak vetting process.
Connelly had been an interim superintendent in the district, after the person was hired.
Connelly said school districts have a tendency to pass along problem employees without warning other educators.
He compared it to the scandals within the Catholic church, where child molesting priests were reassigned.
“We do the same thing, unfortunately,” Connelly said.
The superintendent said the school district must go beyond checking references listed on a resume — even if the reference is the employee’s supervisor. Calling the human resources department at the candidate’s previous job is a must, Connelly said.
Checking with the human resources department for a teacher who is switching from one school district to another can answer whether the teacher has been suspended or has other “red flags,” Connelly said.
“People have done well, but we don’t have a standard system,” Connelly said of the Oxford hiring process.
The new system includes a checklist ensuring that a candidate has been vetted before the school board votes to hire.
School board chairman Rose McKinnon supported the new vetting process.
“We were concerned about the vetting process,” she said.
Connelly replaced Judith Palmer, who left Oxford amid controversy over her contract.