Miami-Dade School Board took steps Wednesday to address the needed protection for foreign exchange students.
The leader of a South Florida school district is calling for stricter scrutiny of agencies involved with foreign-student exchange programs after a man with a criminal record was arrested for victimizing a school-aged girl staying in his home.
Miami-Dade Schools Superintendent Alberto Carvalho also recommended mandatory fingerprinting and criminal background checks of host families at a recent School Board meeting.
Carvalho’s comments come after the man was allowed to host a high school-aged foreign-exchange student.
“Given the vulnerability of the students participating in foreign-exchange programs – many of whom are between 15 and 18 years old and often speak very little English – it is imperative that every effort be made to ensure the safety of the environment in which they will be living,” said Carvalho in a statement.
In Florida, personnel and contractors working with or around children are vetted through a fingerprint-based state and federal criminal background check. There is currently no specific requirement for the type of screening that host families have to undergo.
The Department of Homeland Security monitors groups and companies that provide foreign-student exchange services but does not conduct criminal background checks, according to a release.
“Parents should not fear for their children when sending them to participate in this type of program” Carvalho said in the release.
