The Plymouth School system is actively looking at policies and procedures of background information collection on all hires for the corporation.
A substitute teacher that had been approved for hire at the October 7 school board meeting was terminated after an Argos resident recognized Stanley Kendall’s picture from the NBC TV Show “Dateline” To Catch a Predator” that was video-taped in 2006 and aired in February 2007.
Reportedly, Kendall grew up in the Argos area.
According to Plymouth Schools Superintendent, Daniel Tyree, Kendall, 62, had substituted eight times in two of the corporation’s four elementary schools, at Riverside Intermediate School, Lincoln Jr. High and Plymouth High School.
Kendall was also terminated as a substitute by the Penn Harris Madison Schools following communication with Plymouth Schools.
PCSC Director of Security and Safety, Jim Phillips, said, “We are dissecting every element of the background information process. We are evaluating options moving forward.” He continued, “We are taking this very seriously and we want to do what’s right.”
Phillips said the schools have made a lot of changes since he was hired in July of 2013. He said, “Dan Tyree (superintendent) and Dan Funston (assistant superintendent) have made the way we obtain background checks the top priority.” Phillips said he and the corporation’s human resource staff member are reviewing policies and procedures.
Referencing the specific former substitute, Stanley Kendall, Phillips said, “There was no conviction, so he fell into a gray area or a crack in the system.” Phillips explained that law enforcement officers use a background system that provides information nationwide. He said law enforcement uses the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) that is more comprehensive than those used by Fortune 500 companies, for instance, and school systems.
The Plymouth Police Department did find an arrest record for Kendall in Texas, but that there was not a conviction and his name did not appear on the sex offender registry.
Among other things, the corporation has asked the company they are currently using, Safe Hiring Solutions, to provide them with all of their policies and procedures so they can review them. Additionally, he said, “We sent out a statewide request for 3rd-party vendors who perform background checks for perspective applicants.”
According to Philips, administrators have raised concerns with the IDOE (Indiana Department of Education) concerning the substitute that they terminated. Phillips said, “We are also sharing our story with other schools.”
Phillips explained that substitutes must use the same procedure to gain entrance into the schools as any other visitor. They must “buzz in” and go to the office to sign in prior to receiving the photo ID at the office. The schools uses the Raptor System-School Security system that scans a visitor’s Driver‘s License or other state issued ID and computer software instantly screens for registered sex offenders, among other information, in all 50 states.
Carol Anders Correspondent
