Abany, NY – Co-Sponsor Signs On For Private School Fingerprinting Bill

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    Albany, NY – A Nassau County assemblyman has become the first co-sponsor of the bill that would mandate fingerprinting and background checks in New York private schools such as Yeshivas.

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    Assemblyman Harvey Weisenberg who represents Assembly District 20, which includes the Five Towns, added his weight to the bill sponsored by Assemblyman Dov Hikind yesterday. A former special education teacher and school administrator in the Long Island hamlet of East Meadow, the Long Beach democrat believes strongly in ensuring the safety of all children.

    “This bill is of paramount importance in today’s climate where everyone is a potential predator,” Weisenberg told VIN News. “I fully support Dov because I believe in this and I am looking forward to the day that this bill is passed.”

    Both Weisenberg and Hikind have worked together previously on similar bills.

    “While I am currently devoting my efforts to lining up funding for the bill, I am grateful for Harvey’s support,” said Hikind. “Once the money is in place this bill will be a no brainer. I can’t think of anyone who is opposed to it.”

    Weisenberg is a member of the assembly’s Education Committee as well as the Assistant Assembly Speaker Pro Tempore. He has co-sponsored similar private school fingerprinting bills in the past and was also involved in Project SAVE which mandated fingerprinting in the public schools in 2000.


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    26 Comments
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    11 years ago

    I’m glad to read that Dov and Harvey are working together. Both of them are real Assembly veterans, are leaders in their own right, and know how to work with the highest tier of leadership in both the Assembly and Senate. Kol hakavod. Let’s get this job done once and for all.

    LouKay
    LouKay
    11 years ago

    The only question I have for these democrats is While I know and agree that the safety of the children is paramount, isn’t it discriminatory again minorities to require background checks??

    I mean when it comes to voting, you can’t even ask for a photo ID ?

    Ben_Kol
    Ben_Kol
    11 years ago

    May G-d grant them success.

    11 years ago

    Lou Kay, I agree, you just can’t fingerprint the minority employees. The law would require that you fingerprint everybody – rabbis and any minority non Jewish employees on the secular teaching staff, in administration, maintenance.

    AuthenticSatmar
    AuthenticSatmar
    11 years ago

    The governor just cancelled fingerprinting for food stamps because of the ‘burden’, so I assume he’ll be against this too.

    woodmerejoe
    woodmerejoe
    11 years ago

    If the molesters are not reported, how will fingerprinting help?

    thecommissioner
    thecommissioner
    11 years ago

    Who’s going to cover the cost of fingerprinting? The NYCDOH is requiring all Yeshivas to fingerprint Pre-school staff, at a cost of $130 per staff member. If a Yeshiva has a large Preschool, with 100 staff, this will cost them $13,000!! I’m all for fingerprinting, but make sure the cost doesn’t hurt the schools.

    LONGBEACH13
    LONGBEACH13
    11 years ago

    I met the Assemblyman once in Albany New York and I know how committed he is about children. He has a sexual predator in his own own community of Long Beach who was arrested on June 1 for “touching” a youngster. The person still attends Orthodox shuls and went to “bensch gomel” after being bailed from jail.

    11 years ago

    Oh please, in the 20+ years that Harvey has been representing the 5Towns, he’s never done anything for the frum Jews or the yeshivos. Now that he’s being challenged by David Sussman, a great friend of the community, Harvey is suddenly feigning interest in our kids. This is nothing but the worst political pandering.

    11 years ago

    But they don’t. We need a law. To make it mandatory. And the public sex offender lists don’t list all the people arrested for sex crimes, but who negotiated pleas to lesser crimes – for example, simple assault, endangering the welfare of a minor. And the public sex offender lists don’t list persons with other serious criminal histories who should not work near children – murderers, other violent offenders. So we need a law to make it mandatory. So an FBI fingerprint check can be done disclosing all 50 state and federal crimes.

    Dov Hikind said: its a “no brainer”.

    Sure, we need the input of the people, and the rabbis – and we also need a law.

    WJ, agree or disagree? Do we need a law?