Each day when parents send their children off to school they worry about many things.  Do they have their lunch?  Have they finished their homework?  Are they ready for their spelling test?  But parents shouldn’t have to ask, “Is my child’s bus driver a drug dealer?”  Unfortunately under a provision included in the new state budget, that final question will soon become a legitimate one.

Under a provision included in the 2009-10 budget, starting June 8th, courts may seal the criminal records of certain drug felons when they complete drug court.  This means when a school or day care center runs a background check there will be no record of a felon’s drug conviction.  It removes an important safeguard and school officials will have no knowledge that a job applicant has served time for selling crack to kids.

The record sealing provision not only allows the courts to hide a current felony conviction of a drug dealer, but can also mask up to three prior misdemeanor convictions as well.  Serious crimes like burglary, robbery, auto theft, forgery, extortion and more would all disappear from a criminal’s record.  Imagine someone with a rap sheet like that supervising an after school program at your local school, or serving lunch to toddlers at a day care center.