BOE Completes, Passes Background Checks

All nine members of the of the School District of the Chathams have completed and passed a required criminal background check before the state deadline.

The backgroung checks are required by a state law unique to New Jersey, and the deadline to complete the checks was Dec. 31.

Board President Tom Belding and Interim Superintendent Dennis Fyffe said all board members have met the requirement and are compliant with the law.

However, NJ.com reported that more than 350 school board members statewide failed to complete a criminal background check.

Belding said board members will receive a clearance letter from the Department of Education after they pass the check. "Most of our members already have their clearance letters; we expect the others to have theirs shortly," he said.

Legislation passed last year states that board members who did not complete the criminal background checks by Dec. 31, would be required to resign or face criminal charges.

The background check legislation is intended to hold school board members to the same standards as teachers working in the district, its supporters say. Yet opponents said the law will also find decades old, minor offenses, and disqualify those school board members.

Chatham's school board members are President Tom Belding, Vice President Richard Connors, Steve Barna, Al Burgunder, Kim Cronin, Matthew Gilfillan, Lata Kenney, John Nonnenmacher and Jill Weber.