Last week, a janitor in a Texas school was arrested during a “warrant roundup” staged by police. Darrel Patrick Clover Jr. gained employment as a part-time janitor in 1998. In 2001, he was moved up to full time. Since 2000, he’s been arrested six times for drug related charges.
The Beaumont Independent School District (BISD) didn’t require background checks to be completed at that time. In fact, they haven’t required background checks on employees who were hired prior to 2008, and because of that, Clover was able to continue to be employed. Because of this, they had no idea about the background of the man they employed.
Making matters a bit worse, not only was he arrested in front of the elementary school students, police officers found that he was in possession of marijuana while inside the school. What would have been a misdemeanor charge of marijuana, his charge could be upgraded to a felony due to possessing the drugs in a drug-free zone.
The BISD has suspended Clover pending the results of the investigation and, more than likely, will be reviewing their background check policy.
This case emphasizes the importance of pre-employment screening, as well as drug screening, for anyone working in close proximity of children. It also is a good example of the need for recurring background checks to make sure that employers are proving a safe environment for their employees as well as any children in their care.
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