Post by title1parent on May 15, 2009 4:27:17 GMT -5
www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=293838&src=10
No criminal background check done on new Dist. 57 superintendent
By Madhu Krishnamurthy | Daily Herald
The superintendent search firm hired by Mount Prospect Elementary District 57 did not perform a criminal background check on Peggy Kaufmann and had no knowledge of her 2002 DUI offense, an official confirmed Thursday.
However, it's possible a background check would not have caught the 2002 arrest in any case, according to Illinois State Police officials.
Kaufmann, 52, who was expected to take the District 57 post July 1, resigned Tuesday after news broke of her April 11 drunken driving arrest in Bartlett and of the 2002 DUI charge she pleaded guilty to.
District 57 school board President Joseph Leane said while the school board did not specifically request a criminal background check on Kaufmann, it expected one would be conducted.
Leane said the school board relied on Libertyville-based search firm BWP & Associates to conduct thorough background checks on its top candidates.
"Part of what we expected to get from them was a slate of candidates that were worthy of being our superintendent, including that there was nothing in their background that would cause a problem," Leane said.
"There was obviously a misunderstanding between the board and BWP as to the level of background checks that were conducted on the candidates."
BWP & Associates is a search firm whose board of directors and associates include former and current educators and school superintendents.
BWP board member Mark Friedman said Thursday he didn't remember if BWP and District 57 discussed doing background checks on their top candidates.
William Symons, a BWP associate not involved with the District 57 search, said districts can either do the checks through their local police departments, or ask the search firm to do them.
Leane also didn't remember if the subject came up.
Friedman said BWP researched Kaufmann's professional history, interviewing former and current employers and supervisors.
"No one brought this to our attention," he said. "She had excellent references. Those are typically satisfactory for us. Criminal background checks carry things a step further and aren't always part of the process."
Friedman said Kaufmann did not volunteer information about her 2002 DUI arrest in her interviews, and previous employers had conducted background checks on her.
Kaufmann's last background check would have been done by Schaumburg Township Elementary District 54. But Kaufmann was hired there in February 2002, before her DUI arrest in July of that year.
Leane added that BWP advised the school board not to ask about candidates' prior criminal records in interviews.
Symons said BWP generally advises that because an inexperienced interviewer may not ask the question properly and open the district up to potential litigation.
However, even with such a check Kaufmann's 2002 arrest could have gone unnoticed.
Most criminal background checks are done through the Illinois State Police's Bureau of Identification, which only reports convictions.
Kaufmann pleaded guilty to the DUI charges after her July 16, 2002, arrest in Oak Brook. She paid fines and fees and was sentenced to court supervision, DUI school and public service. Supervision is not technically a conviction.
"Supervision is considered a deferred judgment," said spokesman Sgt. Juan Valenzuela. "If they do not violate the terms of the supervision, then it is not a conviction."
Valenzuela said a search of Illinois Secretary of State driving records, accessible to all law enforcement agencies, would have netted the supervision order for Kaufmann's DUI offense.
Leane said from now on District 57 will conduct its own criminal background checks on candidates.
Friedman stressed what happened with District 57 "was nobody's fault."
"Everybody did what they were supposed to do," he said. "(Kaufmann) had a misstep. She brought this on herself. This person's life has been destroyed."
Repeated calls to Kaufmann and her attorney were not returned. Kaufmann is due to appear in DuPage County court in Wheaton on May 19.
Kaufmann, who lives in Geneva, will leave her assistant superintendent of instruction post at District 54 on June 30. Her replacement has been hired.
Leane spoke with Kaufmann before she tendered her letter of resignation Tuesday, but would not confirm whether the board asked her to step down.
"I think she realized it was the best course of action for all the parties concerned," Leane said. He added, the severance was clean and nothing is owed to the other by either party.
Leane said the school board may ask retiring Superintendent Bruce Brown to stay on beyond June 30, if a replacement has not been found.
"We will complete this work with the urgency the situation demands, and that person will deserve the trust and support of the community," he said.
Brown, who was not involved in the search for his replacement, confirmed he will join BWP's team of associates after retiring from District 57.
No criminal background check done on new Dist. 57 superintendent
By Madhu Krishnamurthy | Daily Herald
The superintendent search firm hired by Mount Prospect Elementary District 57 did not perform a criminal background check on Peggy Kaufmann and had no knowledge of her 2002 DUI offense, an official confirmed Thursday.
However, it's possible a background check would not have caught the 2002 arrest in any case, according to Illinois State Police officials.
Kaufmann, 52, who was expected to take the District 57 post July 1, resigned Tuesday after news broke of her April 11 drunken driving arrest in Bartlett and of the 2002 DUI charge she pleaded guilty to.
District 57 school board President Joseph Leane said while the school board did not specifically request a criminal background check on Kaufmann, it expected one would be conducted.
Leane said the school board relied on Libertyville-based search firm BWP & Associates to conduct thorough background checks on its top candidates.
"Part of what we expected to get from them was a slate of candidates that were worthy of being our superintendent, including that there was nothing in their background that would cause a problem," Leane said.
"There was obviously a misunderstanding between the board and BWP as to the level of background checks that were conducted on the candidates."
BWP & Associates is a search firm whose board of directors and associates include former and current educators and school superintendents.
BWP board member Mark Friedman said Thursday he didn't remember if BWP and District 57 discussed doing background checks on their top candidates.
William Symons, a BWP associate not involved with the District 57 search, said districts can either do the checks through their local police departments, or ask the search firm to do them.
Leane also didn't remember if the subject came up.
Friedman said BWP researched Kaufmann's professional history, interviewing former and current employers and supervisors.
"No one brought this to our attention," he said. "She had excellent references. Those are typically satisfactory for us. Criminal background checks carry things a step further and aren't always part of the process."
Friedman said Kaufmann did not volunteer information about her 2002 DUI arrest in her interviews, and previous employers had conducted background checks on her.
Kaufmann's last background check would have been done by Schaumburg Township Elementary District 54. But Kaufmann was hired there in February 2002, before her DUI arrest in July of that year.
Leane added that BWP advised the school board not to ask about candidates' prior criminal records in interviews.
Symons said BWP generally advises that because an inexperienced interviewer may not ask the question properly and open the district up to potential litigation.
However, even with such a check Kaufmann's 2002 arrest could have gone unnoticed.
Most criminal background checks are done through the Illinois State Police's Bureau of Identification, which only reports convictions.
Kaufmann pleaded guilty to the DUI charges after her July 16, 2002, arrest in Oak Brook. She paid fines and fees and was sentenced to court supervision, DUI school and public service. Supervision is not technically a conviction.
"Supervision is considered a deferred judgment," said spokesman Sgt. Juan Valenzuela. "If they do not violate the terms of the supervision, then it is not a conviction."
Valenzuela said a search of Illinois Secretary of State driving records, accessible to all law enforcement agencies, would have netted the supervision order for Kaufmann's DUI offense.
Leane said from now on District 57 will conduct its own criminal background checks on candidates.
Friedman stressed what happened with District 57 "was nobody's fault."
"Everybody did what they were supposed to do," he said. "(Kaufmann) had a misstep. She brought this on herself. This person's life has been destroyed."
Repeated calls to Kaufmann and her attorney were not returned. Kaufmann is due to appear in DuPage County court in Wheaton on May 19.
Kaufmann, who lives in Geneva, will leave her assistant superintendent of instruction post at District 54 on June 30. Her replacement has been hired.
Leane spoke with Kaufmann before she tendered her letter of resignation Tuesday, but would not confirm whether the board asked her to step down.
"I think she realized it was the best course of action for all the parties concerned," Leane said. He added, the severance was clean and nothing is owed to the other by either party.
Leane said the school board may ask retiring Superintendent Bruce Brown to stay on beyond June 30, if a replacement has not been found.
"We will complete this work with the urgency the situation demands, and that person will deserve the trust and support of the community," he said.
Brown, who was not involved in the search for his replacement, confirmed he will join BWP's team of associates after retiring from District 57.