Paper , Order, or Assignment Requirements

As the Learning Resources show, states and school districts around the country are increasingly requiring volunteers, including parents and community members, to undergo rigorous screening processes before being allowed to work with young people. While some believe that such measures are necessary to ensure the safety of children and adolescents, others argue that such measures are overly invasive, cause parents and community members to feel alienated and unwelcome, and in fact jeopardize the viability of effective home, school, and community partnerships. In this Discussion, you will consider your own thoughts on this issue. Reflect on the following:

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• What do you think is an appropriate screening process for adults volunteering to work with young people? Should background checks and fingerprinting be mandatory? Or is this too invasive?
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• Should parents be subjected to the same screening process as community volunteers? Why or why not?
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• How can professionals best balance safety and security concerns with their attempts to create a welcoming and cooperative environment between home, school, and community?

With these thoughts in mind, follow the instructions below to post your response to this Discussion topic.