Violent Felons Barred From Jobs at Schools

Surrounded by the grieving family of a popular high school senior allegedly raped and killed by a campus janitor with a violent criminal record, Gov. Pete Wilson on Tuesday signed bills to prevent schools from hiring felons convicted of serious crimes.

The May slaying of 18-year-old Michelle Montoya in the wood shop of Rio Linda High School near Sacramento shocked and outraged Californians.

“Her murder cried out to us to make whatever change was required to see to it that this kind of appalling loss never repeats itself,” the governor said at an emotional bill-signing ceremony.

Family members and friends of the effervescent teenager wept openly as Wilson signed the four-bill package, including one prohibiting schools from hiring felons convicted of any violent or serious crime for nonteaching jobs.

(A felony that does not fall into the violent or serious category, for example, is writing bad checks.)

It is already against the law for anyone with a felony record to be hired as a teacher.

Atty. Gen. Dan Lungren, who attended the bill signing, said outlawing the hiring of serious and violent criminals for nonteaching jobs was simply “common sense.” He added, “Perhaps what is so surprising is that it wasn’t already law.”

Another bill in the package will require school districts to obtain complete fingerprint reports before hiring applicants for nonteaching jobs such as janitors and office workers.

At one point during the ceremony, Montoya’s mother, Pam Schleeter, thanked Wilson and embraced him in a hug, tears running down her face.

“Michelle would be honored to know that she continues to help others and that her passing is not in vain,” Schleeter said, her voice breaking. When she was unable to continue, Schleeter’s sister, Sandra Montoya, finished reading her speech.

“Our children are in danger,” Schleeter warned Californians. “We have more security at our banks and our malls than we do at schools. . . . Our priorities are wrong.”

Charged with rape and murder in the case is Alex del Thomas, a member of the 107th Street Hoover Crips gang in Los Angeles, who had been paroled from Folsom Prison last spring. His prior convictions included voluntary manslaughter and armed robbery.

At his school job interview, Thomas covered a “107” tattoo on his forehead with cosmetics, school officials said. He had been on the school district’s payroll as a substitute custodian for about three weeks, including two days at the Rio Linda campus.

Thomas was hired under a state law that allowed districts to employ temporary and substitute workers for nonteaching positions before their criminal background checks were completed.

Included in the package of bills signed Tuesday was AB 1612 by Assemblywoman Barbara Alby (R-Fair Oaks), which prohibits school districts from hiring anyone convicted of a serious or violent felony. The only exceptions would be convicts granted a pardon by the governor or those certified by a Superior Court judge to be rehabilitated--two very steep obstacles.

A companion bill, AB 1610, by Assemblywoman Deborah Ortiz (D-Sacramento), prevents the hiring of school employees until a criminal background report is complete.

Both bills, which passed the Legislature unanimously, take effect immediately.

In addition, the Ortiz bill requires the state Department of Justice to complete a job applicant’s fingerprint check within 72 hours or notify the district by telephone of any delays.

Lungren conceded that, until recently, it had taken his department as long as six weeks to process fingerprints, a procedure he said has been reduced to six days and will be cut even shorter by the Ortiz measure.

Wilson also signed a bill, SB 720, by Senate leader Bill Lockyer (D-Hayward) that will allow counties to raise vehicle registration fees by $1 to finance high-tech fingerprint systems at local sheriff’s departments.

Instead of the traditional ink and paper method, the new equipment will use laser technology to instantly scan a person’s finger and immediately transmit the fingerprint to state law enforcement databases for checking.

The governor also signed a bill, SB 1302, by Sen. Tim Leslie (R-Carnelian Bay), that will require groups such as nanny services and youth organizations to notify parents in advance about employees or volunteers who have been convicted of sex or drug crimes.