It is not just a Catholic school issue. The problem is that there are unfortunately some bad people out there. The schools are just trying to keep our kids safe. Some districts and states even have it in the law books.

I know it is frustrating, believe me I know! We need help in the same area. I just keep telling myself and others this is for our children's safety.

I used work as a child safey advocate. During trainings I would hear horror stories that would send me home in tears and I wouldn't sleep for days.

Keep telling yourself as frustrating as it is that it's a good thing.

We are a catholic school. The parents do have to go through the child protection training, but I don't think parents have to be right there with the jr. high kids to babysit. Our meetings are in the cafe and the kids would be right next door. I don't know if that make a difference or not.

Not a Catholic school, but our district says that if babysitting is provided within the school building, then it has to be done by a district employee (who, by definition, has gone through the background check, fingerprinting, TB test). I suspect it's an insurance issue. The district also dictates specific background check requirements for any classes we hold on school property. Their building, their rules.....

Is it possible your Archdiocese has different rules depending on whether a student (not necessarily a student in your school) and/or person under 18 is doing the babysitting? I know that in our district, there is an exemption from background check requirements for students in certain circumstances.

We want to offering parents free babysitting during meetings. Here's my problem. . . we are a catholic school. My principal is telling me that we need two adults who have taken a child protection workshop and been fingerprinted to do the babysitting. Crap!! Any other catholic school parents out there? Is this so? Does PTO fall under Archdiocese rules? I have seen other area catholic school PTO websites that say their babysitting is being done by there jr. high students? What gives? Anyone? Anyone?