State making Austin among the first districts in the state to undergo national criminal background checks.
Among the first educators expected to comply with the state's new mandatory fingerprinting law, some faculty members at Pillow Elementary School in North Austin are putting up a fight.
Nine teachers at Pillow spoke out Wednesday against the new requirement, with seven saying they don't know yet whether they'll submit to the required fingerprinting and national criminal background checks.
"It feels sort of like using a shotgun to kill a cockroach," said Candy Ellard, a fifth-grade math and science teacher who said she is considering whether to ignore or possibly resign over the requirement. Pillow will begin fingerprinting at the end of the month.
Ellard, who has taught for 28 years, said she has no criminal record.
"I don't want to be the Rosa Parks of teachers, but I've lived though the '60s and '70s, and I've got that mentality that you question things that don't quite seem right," she said. "This is not about hiding something. This is about what are my rights as a citizen who is not a criminal."
Typical Aaron Pena didn't even bother to vote on this bill. He sat there and didn't cast a vote. Aaron Pena fighting for the teachers. Yeah right!
