The Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association's board of directors approved a program Wednesday that will screen high school game officials for criminal records, according to the Boston Globe.
The school safety initiative, which the board unanimously approved, marks the first time that the state’s 8,000 high school referees will be required to undergo a criminal background check.
Massachusetts is the 28th state to pass such a rule.
“This is a big step in terms of becoming more actively engaged with a group of people who have been working with our kids,” Richard Pearson, the MIAA’s associate executive director said, according to the report.
While the MIAA board originally began its study at the request of several South Shore athletic directors more than a year ago, the vote came roughly two months after a Globe investigation revealed that a small number of game officials had serious criminal records. Two weeks ago, state Representative Carole Fiola also filed legislation to urge the MIAA to check for criminal histories.
The Globe’s article, which came out just days after a Massachusetts high school basketball referee was charged with murdering his wife, revealed that some officials had records that included sexual assault against minors.
The MIAA said the plan, which may be amended before it is fully used, would have each official go through an extensive screening process by the spring of 2016.
While some officials are on board with the new system, others are concerned about the coast and feel it is unnecessary. The MIAA will cover the expense, which it estimates at $280,000 to $320,000 for the first year, by charging the officials $35 to $40 per screening.
The MIAA plans to use a Utah-based company called Peopletrail to conduct the background checks. Some groups, including the Eastern Massachusetts Soccer Officials Association, have argued that many of these officials already go through screenings by the state’s Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) system because they work in youth leagues or in the schools. The MIAA said, however, that the new system is more thorough than the CORI screening process.
Officials who have offenses for violence, drugs, sexual assault, crimes again minors and more can be barred from working in schools under the new program. Meanwhile, an official who is charged with a crime while working in the system may be immediately suspended. If he or she is dismissed of the charges, the state will review the situation before deciding to reinstate the official.