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I suspect this will lead to a host of changes. For now, the high school ruling body, the Mass. Interscholastic Athtletic Assn., is saying that since officials are not school employees -- and since they do not have unsupervised contact with students -- no background checks are required.
The local officials associations in Mass. do not assign officials. They only test them, train them and "certify" that they are properly trained as basketball officials. We are assigned by independent commissioners, who are hired by the leagues (high school athletic directors, for H.S. games) and who can use any official they want.
I suspect the pressure will be great on the MIAA to demand that all officials in all sports submit to a criminal background check. The question -- in part -- is at what point does a criminal background disqualify you from officiating? Is it only sex crimes? What about assault? What about larceny? And I also think the pressure will mount on individual associations to perform their own background checks. But.... I know a lot of officials who do not want the responsibility to decide on their own what should "disqualify" an official from working a game.
I find this topic very uncomfortable. This guy was convicted 18 years ago. He has not been in trouble since. He does not have unsupervised time with the players. Yet I understand why so many people think he should be barred for life from officiating. Of course, that does not stop him from working in a mall, a pizza joint or anywhere else kids hang out.
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