Time-frame may be considered in New Jersey school board background checks

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie signed a bill in May requiring a criminal background check for all present and prospective school board members. Now Burlington City officials are attempting to amend the law by including a time limit for certain crimes, the Courier Times reports. "The wording would have to be tightened," Burlington City board vice president Jennifer Montone told the news source. "You'd have to specify a time and crimes - you can't just blanket it." Modified background checks would take into account the distance between a prospective member's time of employment and any previous crime he or she committed. However, the time-frame law wouldn't pertain to offenses that involved children, drugs, aggravated assault or fraud. Burlington City's school board submitted the recommendation to the New Jersey School Boards Association, where it will be considered. The Gloucester County Times reports that earlier this month, board of education members in West Deptford Township were reimbursed the $81.75 cost per-person to perform Christie's mandated background checks.