John Mark Karr and the JonBenet Ramsey Case: The Ripple Effect on the World of Background Checks

The arrest of former teacher Jon Mark Karr for the murder of JonBenet Ramsey will have a major impact on parents throughout the world. Parents who never once questioned the character of their children?s teachers will now have to think twice as to who they are leaving their kids with each day. Teachers, often thought of as selfless individuals who give of themselves to enlighten our youth, now will scrutinized by many due to Karr?s arrest. More importantly, the pasts of teachers will be analyzed by more school boards and parents through online background checks than ever before. Just as 9/11 brought attention to the need for protection against terrorism and Janet Jackson brought attention to the need for increased censorship, Karr?s arrest will bring attention to the need to screen teachers more carefully.

Considered by many to be the most effective way to screen potential employees, background checks are used in various capacities by school boards throughout the United States. However, just as the O.J. Simpson case led to the acknowledgment of the need for tougher domestic violence laws, the John Mark Karr arrest will lead to a tougher screening process for potential teachers. This new process will certainly be centralized around online background checks due to their inexpensiveness and unbiased information.

Hiring decisions based on impressions or gut feelings will not fly with parents who don?t want someone like Karr around their children. Online background checks also provide a sort of legal safety net for hiring officials as their decisions can be justified by the stone cold facts presented on the background check report.

It has been said that those who don?t learn from history are doomed to repeat it. Upon hearing that the alleged killer of little JonBenet was a teacher, many parents immediately questioned Karr?s school board for hiring him. However, parents who want to be a little tougher on teachers in the wake of Karr?s arrest have very limited options when it comes to checking up on who is currently teaching at their children?s schools. Looking for a way to delve deeper into the character of their children?s teachers, people search experts believe the use of online background checks by concerned parents will increase significantly in the coming years. With online background check report data, parents who also have suspicions or reservations against a particular teacher will have such data as a teacher?s criminal past to justify to the school board that teacher?s need for dismissal.

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