PRINCE GEORGES CO, Md. (WUSA9) -- After releasing a highly anticipated review of safety procedures in Prince George's County Public Schools, the chair of the Student Safety Task Force, Dr. Charlene Dukes, says she's confident the school superintendent will implement their recommendations, even though the task force does not have the ability to penalize the school system if they fail to follow through.
"I believe that with the five recommendations, the sixty-one considerations, and the twenty-eight suggestions, that the public should feel very confident that the task force took this seriously," Dukes said.
Dr. Kevin Maxwell called for the formation of the task force in the wake of an abuse scandal at Judge Sylvania Woods Elementary School.
Police say a school volunteer, Deonte Carraway, produced child pornography and sexually abused at least 17 children - often on school grounds and during the school day.
Carraway, according to a spokesperson with the school system, passed a criminal background check.
However, law enforcement sources tell WUSA9, Carraway had a record and was charged with a sex offense as a juvenile. Sources say it's information that could be seen in a background check, if it was conducted by a sworn law enforcement agent.
Prince George's County Public Schools (PGCPS) uses a private contractor.
The task force addressed the issues of background checks, but did not specifically mention private contractors or the current company working with PGCPS.
Dukes said investigating the Carraway case wasn't the task force's job.
"That was not our charge nor would we upend or attempt to upend the integrity of the criminal justice system and what they are charged to do," she said.
"I would say, in the report, we speak very clearly to the need to involve subject matter experts in this work and as a mater of fact law enforcement is mentioned as one of those subject matter experts. So I would believe that as things unfold and there's a need to change how background checks are done and who does them that the [school] system will respond appropriately."
