I do not believe that the "highly qualified" requirements for employees are applicable to volunteers. If your point is that volunteers will not be as qualified as volunteers, I would have to agree, but also don't think that means they couldn't effectively staff the school libraries.  If your point is that because volunteers may not have the same qualifications as the former library managers, that they are prohibited from helping in the libraries, I don't think this is correct.

 

My understanding of the laws on background checks for volunteers is that they are required if the volunteer will be having one-on-one interaction with a student -- and MCSD does require these be done. We actually have some donors who have picked up the cost of the background checks for those volunteers who can't afford them.  One-on-one means a situation where an adult would be alone in a room with 1 child. "Interacting" with a child, for example by helping that child choose a book or check it out, while there are other children and/or adults in the same room, does not require a background check.

 

Criminal background checks are not required by law for other volunteers.  We want to encourage more adults to volunteer in the schools, not discourage them. If we required a criminal background check of every mom, dad or grandma who wants to help out in the schools or the PTOs, we would have many fewer volunteers.  However, in most situations there is oversight of volunteers by teachers or other adults, and common sense prevails.

 

I have tried to explain how the board made its decision, and why we don't always ask for the level of detail you are suggesting we should have asked for.  I and my fellow board members do the best we can, and recognize that not everyone will agree with everything we do (and, conversely, that no matter what we do, at least some people will disagree with it).  All I can say is, if you think that you can do a better job, run for the board this fall. Just get your flak jacket out.

 

The school board hires, evaluates and fires the Superintendent, and the Treasurer, and sets policy goals and direction for the district. Implementation of policy and operation of the district is the responsibility of the Superintendent and the Treasurer and the employees they hire. 

 

We gave the Superintendent direction to balance the budget without a new levy. He engaged in the extensive budget process I have previously described, and brought back to us a recommendation to cut over $5 million, with a broad outline of how those savings would be achieved. We approved his plan.  Specific positions to be RIF'd came back to us for a vote. As to library managers, the general answer was the district planned to manage the libraries with volunteers and potentially high school business students. We approved the RIFs and left it to the Superintendent and his staff to work out the details. He wants to include others in the decision as to how specifically it will work, including principals.  It may or may not be handled the same in all buildings.  Some may have a stronger volunteer base to help than others.  I take your point about uniformity, but this is not really the same as fourth grade math, is it? there is not a state standard curriculum for library, nor is there a state test.