[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 135 (Thursday, October 1, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1872]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      KEEP KIDS SAFE AT SCHOOL ACT

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                             HON. VIC FAZIO

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, October 1, 1998

  Mr. FAZIO of California. Mr. Speaker, today I introduce the Keep Kids 
Safe at School Act along with 41 of my colleagues. I am pleased that, 
during this time of polarized political climate, Members from both 
sides of the aisle have come together to formulate sound policy to 
safeguard our children.
  Last spring, a fifteen-year-old Rio Linda High School student from my 
district was brutally raped and murdered by a custodian after school. 
This tragedy could have been prevented had school authorities used a 
database that could detect the employee's prior interstate criminal 
history. Although a thorough California check was conducted, an 
interstate background check would have detected the man's prior 
convictions--including rape--from neighboring states.
  This senseless crime has shaken the small, normally peaceful Rio 
Linda community--a suburb just north of Sacramento. However, this 
tragedy provides us all with a lesson. Crime has no face; it doesn't 
discriminate; it can affect us at any time; it can shatter our safest 
havens; and it crosses socio-economic boundaries.
  My bill would help to prevent this tragedy from occurring again. The 
Keep Kids Safe at School Act amends the current National Child 
Protection Act of 1993. Under the National Child Protection Act, 
Congress established an interstate identification network which allows 
for a voluntary background check on child care providers and 
volunteers.
  Already this system has caught dozens of potential child predators in 
California, Texas and Florida alone.
  In California, the background checks have served as a measure which 
produces results. Between July 1995 and July 1996, 27,564 background 
checks were conducted at the state and federal level. Of those cases, 
606 applicants were found to have a criminal history. Of the number of 
applicants denied credentials, 95% of the denials were based upon the 
information discovered in the background checks.
  School employees, even those who don't provide care or supervise our 
children, have access to our children every day. In the morning before 
school, for example, cafeteria workers may be the first to greet our 
children. In the afternoon, long after the teachers are gone, 
custodians or other maintenance workers are on school grounds while our 
children participate in extracurricular activities.
  Parents deserve to feel at ease when they drop their children off in 
the morning. And kids have the right to feel secure in order to 
maximize learning. According to the FBI, 19 states don't have laws in 
place that conduct background checks on all school employee. And four 
states don't administer background checks for any school employees.
  The Keep Kids Safe at School Act is far from a Big Brother policy. It 
simply builds on an existing law which has proven results for day care 
workers and encourages states across the country to use this same 
voluntary system for those employed by our schools.
  In addition, this legislation will work as a deterrent to potential 
child predators. Those with a criminal history won't think twice about 
applying knowing that they'll get caught. This bill sends a clear 
message to child predators--our commitment to protecting our children 
is real. The Keep Kids Safe at School Act will help prevent other 
tragedies.
  The implementation of the Keep Kids Safe at Schools Act will save 
states and communities time and dollars. Background checks will not 
only detect child predators, but will provide other criminal history 
which could save schools thousands of dollars by preventing theft or 
other crimes.
  This is a common sense proposal. The Keep Kids Safe at School Act 
will deter predators, save schools money and protect our children--
period. Let's close the loop-hole, and give our states the tools they 
need to safeguard our kids--support the Keep Kids Safe at School Act.

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