CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Channel 9 is pushing Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools officials for answers after uncovering the district hired a substitute teacher despite his criminal record.
RELATED COVERAGE: Former CMS sub accused of indecent liberties with students
That former teacher, Lamont Barrett, 31, is accused of sex crimes involving students.
Reporter Tina Terry called CMS and asked what type of crime someone has to commit in order to be denied employment in the classroom.
Barrett was quiet and void of emotion Friday as he faced a judge on new sex charges.
(Barrett)
Mint Hill police charged him with sex crimes against four accusers between the ages of 16 and 18 who are students at Rocky River High School.
The district hired Barrett in March.
Records show multiple traffic arrests since 2011 and a 2014 conviction for possession of marijuana or hashish.
Barrett was also charged with driving with a revoked license in February and again on the second day of this school year.
He remained employed by CMS until he was accused of those sex crimes, and was fired Sept. 14.
Kenny Colbert is president of the Employer's Association. Employers often call his office for advice on hiring policies.
"You never want to penalize someone for the rest of their life for a crime, but on the other hand, if you're serving the public, there's a different standard for that," he said.
Colbert said policies are often influenced by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
"EEOC likes you to focus on how recent the crime was and relevancy of the conviction,” Colbert said.
CMS said Thursday it was aware of Barrett's past, but hired him anyway because it didn't indicate a danger to students.
"Each individual case would be reviewed on individual merits," a CMS official said. "As a general practice, individuals who have been convicted (of) violent felony crimes would not be eligible for employment in classrooms."
CMS may need to take a closer look at the caliber of candidates it's hiring, a district board member said.
She said the district board could meet to discuss hiring practices sometime next week.
CMS statement:
"Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools is committed to providing a safe learning environment for all students.
The district is also committed to the physical, social and emotional safety of all of our students.
The district conducts a rigorous overall background check process in its hiring protocol and in vetting volunteers and also recognizes that background checks cannot always predict future behavior.
Under the superintendent's leadership, the district will emphasize the necessity of vigilance in reviewing all practices involving substitute and volunteer interactions with students and is investigating the recent incidents closely."
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