🚨 LifeWise Says They Background Check “Everyone.” That’s Not True. 🚨
LifeWise Academy repeatedly claims that all staff and volunteers undergo background checks.
Their own website states that it is LifeWise policy to conduct “a thorough background screening of all LifeWise staff, leadership board and volunteer team members.”
But here’s the problem ⬇️
LifeWise chapters openly promote minors—including high school students—as classroom volunteers during the school day.
Minors cannot legally undergo criminal background checks in the way adults can.
Instead of background checks, LifeWise uses a Student Volunteer Permission Form that relies entirely on:
• parental self-reporting
• yes/no questions
• no independent verification
That is not a background check.
The form relies entirely on parental self-disclosure, with no independent verification or external screening—meaning the accuracy of the information depends solely on what is voluntarily reported.
Being a minor does not automatically make someone safe, nor does it substitute for a background check.
⸻
📌 So which is it?
Either:
• LifeWise is not background-checking everyone,
or
• LifeWise is misrepresenting its safety practices to parents, schools, and the public.
You cannot claim universal background checks while simultaneously placing minors—who cannot be background checked—in classrooms with younger children during the school day.
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🧠 This matters because:
• These programs operate during public school hours
• Children are removed from school supervision
• Volunteers may assist with classroom activities and transportation
• Schools and parents are being assured of safeguards that do not exist as described
When organizations place unscreened volunteers in classrooms during the school day, the question isn’t if something goes wrong — it’s who is responsible when it does?
What people are saying:
- Facebook User: What is a recheck? Why once every 3 years, why not every year? This policy is beyond irresponsible. Laws change frequently, especially around child abuse, sexual harassment and education. If you think a “recheck”once every 3 years “protects students” LifeWiise Academy falls short of basic knowledge and best practices. Public school employees, everyone from volunteers, kitchen staff and maintenance to district administrators must participate in yearly training regarding sexual harassment, child abuse, emergency response and much more and document completion with the state. Everyone is required to complete a background check through the state patrol upon hire (or volunteer) and this background check is also registered with the state. Anyone can access results. This is another reason why private voucher schools and private “volunteer” organizations are a disastrous idea.
- Facebook User: Secular Education Association how do you know they aren’t doing a background check? All it takes is a consent form from the parents. Won’t be a through as normal bc the “justice” system but it will show anything that was tried as an adult
- Secular Education Association: Facebook User We know because background checks cannot be performed on minors.
A parent consent form does not create a criminal history where one legally cannot exist. Juvenile records are sealed, and minors do not have adult criminal records to search — period.
What LifeWise calls a “background check” for minors is, at most, a self-reported questionnaire completed by a parent. That is not equivalent to a BCI/FBI background check and does not provide the same safeguards schools require of adults.
When organizations place unscreened volunteers — including minors — with access to children during the school day, the issue isn’t semantics. It’s risk and accountability.
If something goes wrong, consent forms don’t protect students — and they don’t protect districts either.
- Facebook User: Secular Education Association
I mean background checks can be completed on minors with a parental consent. It doesn’t mean that you’ll see everything because the justice system blocks that stuff. However in some cases if the minor was tried for an adult crime that information has shown up.
You can literally email a multitude of background checking agencies and they will confirm this for you.
I’m not exactly saying that you’re wrong in the sense that you’re not going to get the same information I agree with you there but it seems like you’re making a mountain out of a molehill.
Your issue while 100% valid because of the limited information should really be directed towards local governments state for a starters so that yes you don’t need the details but if you’re going to do a criminal background check on a minor and you have the parental consent then you should be able to get a report this is what the charge was and if the person was found guilty or not.
No one is saying that a parental consent form creates a criminal history, however because of the law this option getting the web form and getting the parent involved is the best option they have.
From the looks of this web form, the only thing missing is a follow-up letter stating that the parent gives the agency the permission to do a background check
- Secular Education Association: Facebook User We know because background checks cannot be performed on minors.
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