*hates from afar*

[mousapelli]

can i just say that single most infuriating thing on the face of the earth is attempting to get an MAT from the UVM's seconday education department? Seriously, I'm not sure how much more of this I can possibly take.

They send me this letter about the summer class i have to take when i go back, and tacked on is this little note "oh, you have to get fingerprinted and such before you start any work in a school".

so I go to the link it provides, and A) the information there is organized in no discernible manner, and B) the one thing that is about criminal background checks and fingerprinting has to do with getting forms from your school and going to unnamed fingerprinting facilities, which are all in Vermont.

I AM NOT IN VERMONT. I am not GOING to be in Vermont until a few days before this starts, much like EVERY RATIONAL PERSON IN THE PROGRAM. I have no idea what I am supposed to do about this, and no idea why we can't mention these things while I am spending nine months a year IN Vermont.

But it's good to know that UVM retains the power to reduce me to tears even with 480 miles separating us.

Comments

[fantomeq.livejournal.com]

WTF? It's probably something ridiculous related to Homeland Security. I had a bunch of troubles with my bank when I lived in International Housing when Jeff was in grad school, no doubt because Scary Middle Easterners lived there. I'm pissed off just thinking that they're making you do that. Hopefully if you call them, they can find a local place for you to go to.

[beagley.livejournal.com]

Yeah, fingerprinting sucks. BUT, set your minds at ease... it is normal, and unrelated to Patriot Act or any of the recent Homeland Insecurity stuff... For the last 15 years or so, anyone who works in a school has to be fingerprinted. I had twelve school visits back in 1998 for a teaching class and I had to get fingerprinted. The following year I had to get fingerprinted again because it was a different state, which makes no sense as the FBI keeps everything...

Reasoning? If you are a convicted child molester living under an assumed name, they don't want to give you a job.

Does Douglas have any advice?
Probably what you already figured: Call a human being in UVM education department, explain the situation and ask them what you should do.

Hang in there mouse,
d

[fantomeq.livejournal.com]

I worked at a community college library in 2002, and they didn't do it to me. Is it only for when teaching minors?

[beagley.livejournal.com]

I think its working in a public primary or secondary school. So, up through highschool... which would skip you.

Library assistants and Special Ed assistants of the highschool I worked at had to also. Funny thing was, the janitors didn't have to. Not sure the logic there... maybe it is something like "anyone with direct contact with students as a perscribed part of their job" or something like that.

[fantomeq.livejournal.com]

Ah, I'd thought we were still talking about TAing, which is why I got confused. :D

Sara, did you get a job lined up then? Congratulations!