Staff Conduct: GBEB-R

Safety & Supervision of Students:

To serve the mission 27J personnel play a critical role in the safety and supervision of students. 27J personnel shall work to cultivate safe learning spaces for students; to promote & protect the health, safety, and welfare of students; to supervise students; to initiate appropriate school or district support for students; and to maintain professional boundaries with students.

Professional Boundaries with Students

This policy details examples of conduct that, in the absence of evidence of a legitimate educational purpose or other reason deemed valid by the district, may be regarded as evidence that a staff member has violated professional boundaries with a student:

1. any type of inappropriate physical contact with a student or any other conduct that might be considered harassment under 27J policy
2. furnishing alcohol, drugs or tobacco to a student or being present when any student is consuming these substances
3. repeating sexual or inappropriate romantic rumors
4. accepting massages, or offering or giving massages other than in the course of injury care administered by the appropriate athletic trainer, coach or health care provider
5. singling out a particular student or students for personal attention or friendship beyond the ordinary professional staff-student relationship
6. being alone with a student behind closed doors
7. initiating or extending contact with a student beyond the school day or outside of class times for the staff member's personal purposes
8. sending or accompanying a student on personal errands
9. inviting a student to a staff member's home without appropriate chaperones
10. going to a student's home when the student's parent/guardian or an appropriate chaperone is not present
11. giving a student a ride in a vehicle without prior notification to and approval from both the student's parent/guardian and the building principal, except in an emergency under appropriate circumstances
12. giving gifts or money to a student
13. any other action or activity similar in nature to those listed above
    • Prohibited communications in any format (email, text messaging, written communications, in person, etc.) by a staff member with a student includes, but is not limited to the following:
14. any communications without a legitimate educational reason
15. flirting, propositions or sexual remarks
16. sexual slurs, leering, sexual or derogatory comments
17. inappropriate comments about a student's body
18. sexual jokes, notes, stories, drawings, gestures or pictures
19. displaying or transmitting sexual pictures, objects or depictions
20. disclosing personal, sexual, romantic, marital or employment issues or other private matters
21. other communications or activities similar in nature to those listed above

Physical Intervention

Within the scope of their employment, in compliance with Superintendent Policy JKA, 27J personnel may use reasonable and appropriate physical intervention with a student to accomplish the following: 1. to quell a disturbance threatening physical injury to the student or others. 2. to obtain possession of weapons or other dangerous objects upon or within the control of the student. 3. for the purpose of self-defense. 4. for the protection of persons against physical injury or to prevent the destruction of property which could lead to physical injury to the student or others. Under no circumstances shall a student be physically held for five or more minutes unless the provisions regarding restraint (contained in Superintendent Policy JKA) and the accompanying regulation are followed. Corporal punishment shall not be administered to any student by any district employee.

Reporting violations and disciplinary action

Staff members shall promptly notify the principal or superintendent if they become aware of a situation that may constitute a violation of this regulation. Depending on the specific circumstances of the allegations or suspicions, staff members may have a mandatory duty under state law to report the violation(s) as child abuse, in accordance with applicable 27J policy. Students and their parents/guardians should notify the principal or superintendent if they believe a teacher or other staff member may be engaging in conduct that violates this regulation. In determining whether a violation of professional boundaries has occurred, the district shall consider the totality of the circumstances, including the nature and extent of the conduct involved, the job description and duties of the employee, the employee's intent or purpose in engaging in the conduct, and whether the conduct caused harm to the student or adversely affected the education of students. Persons reporting in good faith regarding alleged violations or suspected violations of this regulation shall not be subjected to retaliation in any form.

Adopted June 23, 2021