...With the board’s action, the school system for the first time has an
overarching policy on preventing sexual abuse, one that pushes for
better handling of volunteers, background checks, school visitors,
social media and abuse reporting. There also will be a mandate for
annual staff training and reviews of curriculum content.
The board also adopted a new policy on reporting abuse and another on
inappropriate relationships between students and employees, volunteers
and contractors.
The district’s revised volunteer policy got particular attention.
That policy — significantly expanded from an earlier version — calls for
procedures that will include background checks, training and “clear
parameters for a volunteer’s access to and interaction with students at
school.”
The policy on improper relationships says that
volunteers “shall not date, have sexual relations or have an
inappropriate relationship with any student” and directs school
officials to create “a clear prohibition” on conduct that falls within
that realm, including any communication of a sexual nature, giving
students access to an employee’s social networks, or being alone with a
student in a closed room or in a personal car....
https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/school-system-adopts-new-policies-after-sexual-abuse-case-roils-community/2016/07/20/5810cf40-4e06-11e6-a7d8-13d06b37f256_story.html#comments
This is a step in the right direction, but the change should have been initiated in Annapolis.
ReplyDelete. "or being alone with a student in a closed room or in a personal car...." I believe the MC state's attorney office would take exception to that.
ReplyDeleteWhy?
DeleteThere is a caveat that a parent or other person who has permanent or temporary care or
Deletecustody or responsibility for the supervision of the student cannot be in the vicinity.
In other words, in order for the appropriate statute to apply the 'closed' room or 'personal' car must be located in the middle of nowhere.
Delete