WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) – Both the city of Wilmington and New Hanover County School Board considered new background check policies during meetings Tuesday night.

Wilmington City Council voted 5-2 to approve background checks for all new city employees, employees looking to move into a new position with the city and random checks for current employees.

The New Hanover County School Board, meanwhile, voted 4-3 to approve background checks for all board members.

“I believe that’s fair, and I think that’s something that will put parents’ minds at ease,” said board member Josie Barnhart, prior to Tuesday’s vote.

Barnhart said board members should be held to the same standard as teachers, who already go through background checks.

If flagged during the background check, board members could face certain restrictions, like not being able to go into schools by themselves.

Board member Tim Merrick said it’s a good idea, but needs more specifics, especially regarding the exact limits that would go in place. He said he’s concerned the policy could be politically weaponized by future boards focusing on a member of the opposing party, but Barnhart said she’s not concerned about that.

“I think the concept is fantastic. Anything we can do to keep our kids safe, we should be doing,” he said. “I do worry about, anytime you create a policy, into the future, how it might be misused.”

Merrick indicated he’ll push for the policy to be adjusted instead of voting “yes” on Tuesday night.

The city’s proposed ordinance is slightly different, requiring checks for new employees or current employees looking at a new job with the city, but not for councilmembers.

Currently, the city only checks certain positions, like police officers, firefighters, department heads and employees who work with children.

“I think we have a responsibility to avoid any sort of employment liability, and to make sure we are screening folks who are working for the city, with a background check,” city councilmember David Joyner said.

City leadership have been reviewing all ordinances for possible changes and prioritized implementing more background checks, Joyner said. The initial vote passed first reading.

Prospective employees who have received an offer of employment would have to pass a background check, and if flagged, would be able to appeal.

The proposals come after county Democrats announced they aren’t endorsing Wendy Dale, a school board candidate with four misdemeanor convictions and multiple stints behind bars. Dale didn’t disclose that information publicly before the primary. She’s faced calls to withdraw from the race from party leadership, including Merrick and county party chair Jill Hopman.

In March, shortly after the primary, another Democratic school board candidate, Rick Southerland, dropped out of the race after disclosing he lived with a sex offender.

Barnhart, who’s running for reelection on the school board, said those reports made this policy a bigger priority.

“It’s very concerning, what we’re seeing with our local school board candidates, to say these people could be making decisions for your kids,” Barnhart said. “And we’re taking the approach to say, ‘if indeed there is an issue that arises, that we’ll take precautions to make sure our kids are safe at school.’”

School board member Pat Bradford, though, said the policy proposal is a “proactive versus reactive measure.” She said she will move to amend the policy to add fingerprinting for board members, too.

“Level 2 background checks are a district requirement for those who face forward with our children, why would that not also include board members? We are in our schools frequently,” she wrote in a statement.

Dale said she has no comment on the school board’s proposal.