Not enforcing policy is equal to having no policy

I am elated by the words of Mr. John Davis in his recent letter to the editor that PSS has promulgated its policies, rules and regulations on “Student Safety.” I do hope and with the help of Mr. Davis the message will flow well so that at least these policy pronouncements are pasted in PSS’ website so that all can read and get accurate information.

In a recent drive to the MHS area, I observed a bunch of students smoking under the pine trees inside the campus boundary. I thought that these kids were only smoking cigarettes. But the smell was more like marijuana, and I could tell that it was. So, Mr. Davis, there are many reasons that the policy on this matter was not effectual and corrective.

With respect to the vetting of teachers’ credentials, this is somehow questionable as well. You see Mr. Davis, the records on criminal convictions are public and anyone has access to them just by getting to the right website. So I randomly selected a former and retired teacher for the purpose of checking out any criminal conviction records of this individual. To my amusement, I found out the former teacher had a conviction for possession of a deadly weapon in a commission of a felony. So, something is not right, and you’re telling me that PSS has done well with background checks on teachers and persons involved with the care of children under PSS custody and care?

This is not resonating well with some, as you can see. Again, another search of public records on a female teacher whose name was taken from a recent school yearbook showed that this person was convicted of prostitution, but still managed to be a teacher within the PSS organization. Since you are a former teacher yourself, we can search the public record to see if you have a clean and unblemished past; otherwise you can tell us that your criminal records are satisfactory.

The point here is that many things happen that fall through the cracks, and if the policy is there the situation will be corrected. Since it was not corrected, the net effect is the same as no policy doing this principal work. And, the stakeholders of PSS can only conclude that PSS lacks the policy on this matter and the children are still at risk, even though Mr. John Davis is certain that PSS does. This is the primer to the situation and enough point of reference to demand that PSS expose the certainty of the policy that Mr. John Davis says exist.

If it does, post it out. If it does not, say it loud.

Francisco R. Agulto
Kannat Tabla, Saipan