Just when the Jessica Lunsford murder case couldn’t get any worse, it does.

Read this St. Petersburg Times piece if you haven’t already on how Lunsford’s confessed killer/convicted sex offender John Couey was able to get work at two elementary schools despite his rap sheet–including Jessica’s school:

HOMOSASSA – For five months, convicted sex offender John Evander Couey worked as a mason’s helper at Homosassa Elementary School, where 9-year-old Jessica Lunsford attended class.

A mason on the job said Couey had direct contact with students and teachers during the project, though it was unknown whether he had contact with Jessica.

Before that, Couey, who was formally arrested Monday in connection with Jessica’s death, worked on the Crystal River Middle School remodeling project.

“Oh, my God,” said School Board member Ginger Bryant. “I can’t believe he ever set foot on any of our school sites. I feel yucky. I’m ready to throw up.”

Jessica’s family could not be reached for comment. But the news of Couey’s employment came as a shock to Homosassa residents.

“How can they allow a pedophile to work on two schools?” said Diane Toto, president of the Homosassa Civic Club. “There is something seriously wrong with the law.”

Nothing in the law bars laborers with criminal histories–sex offenses or otherwise–from school construction sites. Nor is there any state or district requirement that contractors screen laborers before hiring them for school construction projects where they might come in contact with students.

What about your state/district? Do you know who’s working in your kids’ school?

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