8462 - CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT
The Board is concerned with the physical and mental well-being of all children of this District and will cooperate in the identification and reporting of cases of child abuse or neglect in accordance with the law. In addition, the Board strictly prohibits any actual or threatened acts of physical, mental, sexual, or other form of abuse directed towards students by any person in any District-owned, operated, or leased facility, or at any school-sponsored activity.
Staff Training Required
The Board shall require every employee to receive training provided by the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) in identifying children who have been abused or neglected and in the laws and procedures governing the reporting of suspected or threatened child abuse and neglect. Such training shall be completed within the first six (6) months of employment in the District and thereafter at least once every five (5) years after the initial training. This training may be held in conjunction with staff training for threats of violence as required in Policy 8462.01.
Training conducted in fulfillment of this policy shall include a record of the date, time, duration, and content of the training, as well as a list of all attendees at the training.
Reporting of Suspected Child Abuse or Neglect
Each District employee who has reasonable cause to suspect child abuse or neglect has occurred or is occurring, or has reasonable cause to believe a child has been threatened with abuse or neglect and that abuse or neglect is likely to occur shall be responsible for reporting immediately every case, whether verified or suspected, the circumstances giving rise to the reasonable cause.
Reporting is mandatory even if the staff member has reason to believe that the abuse or neglect occurred, but is no longer occurring (for example, the child is no longer living with the suspected abuser). Staff members should make reports based on reasonable cause to suspect abuse or neglect, and are not permitted to first investigate the circumstances in an effort to verify abuse or neglect. This can cause a loss of time and jeopardize law enforcement or social services investigations into child welfare concerns.
Reporting Procedures
The employee shall immediately call the local office of the Child Welfare Department or the local law enforcement agency.
Employees shall also notify the building-level administrator or the District Administrator.
The identity of the reporting person shall be confidential, subject only to disclosure by consent or court order. A reporting employee shall not be dismissed or otherwise penalized for making a report of child abuse or neglect, unless such report was made knowing it to be false and for the purpose of harming the accused or victim in the report.
Information concerning alleged child abuse is confidential. Any unauthorized disclosure by an official or employee of the District is a violation of the law and may subject the disseminator to civil liability for resulting damages and disciplinary action.
Each principal should be mindful of the possibility of physical or mental abuse being inflicted on a student by an employee. Any such instances, whether real or alleged, should be dealt with in accordance with the administrative guidelines established by the District Administrator.
Staff member reporting obligations under this policy and applicable law are the same regardless of whether the suspected abuser is a parent, guardian, or another staff member, and reports should be made accordingly.
Additional Required Reporting
This section addresses the reporting requirements of Policies 1213/3213/4213 - Student Supervision and Welfare. Staff members who possess information leading a reasonable person to suspect that misconduct may have occurred, as indicated below, shall report this immediately to the District Administrator and/or their immediate supervisor:
- Sexual misconduct, as defined in s. 948.098 (1) (d), by a school staff member, as defined in s. 948.098 (1) (c).;
- That an individual who has been convicted of a serious child sex offense, as defined in s. 948.13, has engaged in an occupation or participated in a volunteer position that requires the individual to work or interact primarily and directly with children in a manner that would be a felony under s. 948.13.; and/or
- That is a sex offender, as defined in s. 948.14 (1) (d), has intentionally captured a representation of a minor pupil without the written consent of the minor pupil’s parent or guardian.
Failure on the part of the staff member to immediately report the aforementioned (A., B., and/or C, above) may result in disciplinary action, up to and including termination.
Revised 11/19/18
Revised 4/15/19
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