FCPS to improve employee oversight

A review of Fairfax County Public Schools’ employee hiring and monitoring processes found significant systemic problems.

FCPS Superintendent Michelle Reid directed an independent third party to conduct the study after she learned that a convicted sex offender, Darren Thornton, had been working as a counselor at Glasgow Middle School. [There was a related incident at Glasgow in 2020 involving a substitute teacher.]

“There was a breach of trust,” Reid said at a community meeting at Glasgow Sept. 27.

Thornton had been arrested and convicted of soliciting a minor for sex in 2020 in Chesterfield County, Va. That information fell through the cracks. No one at FCPS knew they had hired a convicted sex offender until Thornton was arrested again in June of this year for prostitution and human trafficking during a sting operation in Chesterfield County.

Both Reid and Mason School Board member Ricardy Anderson say the information gap and lack of accountability is a system-wide issue. “It is really important to have the community not think this is a Glasgow issue,” Anderson said.

Related story: FCPS to investigate how a convicted sex offender was hired at Glasgow

At the meeting, Reid outlined five key findings from the independent review:

(1) There is no evidence that FCPS was ever contacted about Thornton’s initial arrest, conviction, or sentencing. By the time he was arrested in June, he was no longer at Glasgow.

“We’re working with law enforcement to ensure this won’t happen again,” Reid said.

Reid said she sent her contact information to every law enforcement agency in Virginia and to chiefs of police across the nation so they will notify her if any school employee is arrested or convicted of a sex offense.

(2) There are gaps in FCPS hiring practices related to background checks and the checking of references for job applicants.

FCPS will improve that process by requiring more robust documentation sharing between jurisdictions on applicants and carrying out more frequent background checks on current employees.

Reid would like FCPS to join an FBI program to facilitate background checks but the state will have to approve.

(3) The review found systemic problems with monitoring employees’ licensure status. Reid said FCPS will improve its license verification process to ensure teachers remain in good standing.

Related story: Chesterfield police chief addresses Glasgow counselor fail

(4) Additional problems were discovered with FCPS’ records on employees’ leave status. FCPS will ensure leave is properly documented and the payroll is accurate, Reid said.

(5) Also, systemic problems were found involving dismissal and resignations, with some employees suspended, rather than fired, for inappropriate conduct. That process will also be strengthened.

FCPS will release a two-page summary of the review but not the entire report, she said, because of “attorney-client privilege,” noting the report contains personal information about individuals.

Glasgow counselors met with all students who had interacted with Thornton – including those who had moved on to high school – to ensure they are all right.

Reid promised to have systems and processes in place to make sure that what happened at Glasgow never happens again.

“We’re working very hard to rebuild and regain trust,” she said. “We want to make sure each and every student is safe.”