BSU announces new policy regarding sex offenders

By Kayla Lemay

Editor-in-Chief

 

On Dec. 11, it was announced that Bridgewater State University trustees unanimously adopted a new policy, presented by President Dana Mohler-Faria, regarding the hiring of registered sex offenders.

“As of Jan. 1, all newly hired employees – full-time, part-time and temporary – must undergo a criminal and sexual offender background check, according to the Policy to Protect Minors and Prevent Abuse,” says the announcement, which is available on the BSU Intranet under “News and Events.”

Due to this new policy, all job offers will be contingent based on the passing of these background checks.

According to the announcement, this policy also prevents Level 2 or 3 sex offenders from working at BSU in any capacity. The university “reserves the right to discipline or terminate any current employee or refuse to rehire any former employee … who is found to have abused a minor, or to have been convicted of a crime against a minor or another crime that is determined to pose an unreasonable risk.”

Last semester, it was released that Sean Janson, an English professor here at BSU and also at Massasoit Community College in Brockton, was a Level 2 sex offender. The crime was committed in 2004.

According to the Brockton Enterprise, Janson’s contract as a visiting lecturer at BSU ended with the Fall semester. He was not offered a new contract. Massasoit placed him on paid leave in November, following the release of his status as a sex offender.

After the news surfaced, students in support of Janson voiced their opinions. “I had Janson my freshman year for the seminar post-apocalyptic literature,” said Brittney Morgan, a senior at BSU. “In that time I came to know Janson as an engaging, dedicated professor who made his students truly enjoy a required core class rather than help them suffer through it.”


Kayla Lemay is the Editor-in-Chief of The Comment. Follow her on Twitter at @klemay123.

+ posts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related

Mike Johnson addressing the US House of Representatives after being elected as Speaker (Win McNammy/Getty Images/Photo courtesy of CNN)

A Recent History of the Speaker of the House

With the election of the United States’ Speaker Of The House, Representative Mike Johnson (he/him)(R-LA-4), being finalized on October 25th, it’s important to understand the recent history of the position. While they have each been contentious, the previous three speakers present a fair analysis of what to expect out of a Republican-led House.  Johnson is […]

Fulton County Case

The racketeering case against Donald Trump (he/him) in Fulton County, Georgia, is picking up, going into November. Thus far, four of Trump’s 18 indicted co-conspirators have agreed to plea deals with the state for their involvement in a swath of criminal charges related to an array of election fraud attempts in the aftermath of the […]

Democrats Call For Term Limits

Senators Cory Booker (he/him)(D-NJ), Sheldon Whitehouse (he/him)(D-RI), Richard Blumenthal (he/him)(D-CT), and Alex Padilla (he/him)(D-CA), introduced a bill designed to impose term limits for the Supreme Court. Their bill states that every two years, the President would appoint a new justice that would hear every case for eighteen years before stepping back. The justice would be […]