Tenn. HS referees now required to pass background checks

Interscholastic sports officials in Tennessee will now be required to pass background checks, the state athletic association determined Thursday.

The Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association (TSSAA) unanimously approved the measure and letters were immediately sent out to all of the state’s 4,500 game officials, according to WKRN in Nashville. Additional information is expected within the next week on the TSSAA website, where officials must register.

WKRN reported that the background checks will be conducted annually by a private company.

From the article:

Criteria mentioned during a short debate included such things as sexual offenses, arson, and drug abuse.

Those who renew their registration will be charged a fee to pay for the background check which could range anywhere from $5-to-$35 dollars according to TSSAA officials. But likely around $10.

According to the article, public support for background checks grew earlier this year when it was discovered that a football referee had previously been charged with statutory rape.

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