I APPLIED FOR A POSITION WITH THE DISTRICT AND WAS OFFERED THE ROLE. IN ORDER TO TAKE THE POSITION, I TENDERED MY RESIGNATION AND PAID FOR BACKGROUND AND DRUG TESTING. MY DRUG TEST WAS NEGATIVE AS EXPECTED, BUT I WAS TOLD THAT DUE TO A SPECIAL CLAUSE, I WAS NOT ELIGIBLE FOR EMPLOYMENT. I WAS TOLD THAT SOMETHING CAME BACK ON MY BACKGROUND CHECK AND THAT I NEEDED TO PROVE THAT I DIDN’T PLEAD NO-CONTEST TO IT. IN 2002, I WAS CHARGED FOR A MISDEMEANOR. I PLEAD NO CONTEST, ADJUDICATION WAS WITHHELD, I ATTENDED AND SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED A DRUG AND ALCOHOL PROGRAM AND PAID FINES. I MADE A MISTAKE - 13 YEARS AGO - AND WORKED VERY HARD TO MOVE MY LIFE IN A POSITIVE DIRECTION. PRIOR TO APPLYING FOR THIS POSITION, I READ THE DISTRICT’S WEBSITE AND IT FAILED TO CLEARLY MAKE ME AWARE OF THIS SPECIAL CLAUSE THAT I WAS MADE AWARE OF AFTER THE FACT. HAD I KNOWN ABOUT IT BEFORE HAND, I WOULDN’T HAVE APPLIED. MORE IMPORTANTLY, I WOULDN’T HAVE LEFT MY PREVIOUS POSITION. INSTEAD OF GOING TO MY JOB, I’M LOOKING FOR ONE.

PRIOR TO MOVING TO VERO BEACH, I WAS A GIRL SCOUT LEADER AND EMPLOYED BY MARTIN COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT AND SUCCESSFULLY PASSED THEIR LEVEL II BACKGROUND POLICIES. I VOLUNTEERED LAST YEAR AT BEACHLAND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AS A SCHOOL MONITOR. I FIND IT OUTRAGEOUS TO ALLOW AN APPLICANT WHO FAILS A DRUG TEST TO HAVE A CHANCE TO GAIN EMPLOYMENT A YEAR LATER, BUT NOT ALLOW SOMEONE WHO MADE A MISTAKE MORE THAN A DECADE AGO TO TAKE A POSITION THEY WERE OFFERED.

I ASK THE BOARD FOR TWO THINGS:

THE FIRST IS THAT YOU ADDRESS THIS SPECIAL CLAUSE. IF YOU KEEP IT, MAKE IT CLEARLY VISIBLE ON YOUR SITE. EVEN ON THE BACKGROUND QUESTIONAIRE/RELEASE OF RECORDS CONSENT IT ONLY STATES THAT A “YES”, YOU MAY NOT BE CLEARED FOR EMPLOYMENT WITHOUT FURTHER EXPLANATION. I ALSO FEEL THAT HUMAN RESOURCES SHOULD HAVE A PRE EMPLOYMENT SCREENING. IF A POTENTIAL EMPLOYEE HAS CHECKED “YES” ON