As representatives of the District and role models for students, all staff shall demonstrate and uphold high professional, ethical and moral standards. Staff members shall conduct themselves in a manner that is consistent with the educational mission of the District, including maintaining appropriate and professional boundaries.
A. Professional Boundaries with Staff
Interactions between staff members must be based on mutual respect and any disputes resolved in a professional manner.
Professional and ethical principles preclude supervisors from evaluating the work of others with whom they have familial relationships, or from making hiring, salary, or similar financial decision concerning such persons. The same principles apply to romantic and/or sexual relationships, and require at a minimum, that appropriate arrangements be made to assure objective decision-making.
Staff members may not engage in a direct or indirect supervisory relationship over an immediate family member of individual with whom the supervisor is involved in a romantic relationship. Direct supervision shall include all cases in which the supervisor has written evaluation responsibilities, and indirect supervision shall include all cases in which supervision occurs through one or more intermediate supervisors. The Superintendent may grant an exception to this policy in writing upon receipt of satisfactory evidence demonstrating that the supervisory relationship has not adversely affected, and/or is unlikely to adversely affect, the professional duties of either party.
In a romantic and/or sexual relationship involving a power differential, the potential for serious consequences also exists. Such a relationship may affect the educational or employment environment directly by compromising the individuals in the relationship and creating an appearance of improper, unprofessional, or discriminatory conduct. Because of the potential for conflict of interest, exploitation, favoritism, and bias, staff shall adhere to the following rules:
1.If a supervisor and an employee with whom the supervisor has a direct or indirect supervisory relationship become related or become involved in a romantic/sexual relationship, both employees shall have the obligation to notify the District's Department of Human Resources within ten (10) working days.
2.Where such a relationship exists, the person in the position of greater power will bear the primary burden of accountability, and must ensure that he or she does not exercise any supervisory or evaluative function over the other person in the relationship.
3.All staff members in familial or romantic/sexual relationships regardless of the supervisory relationship shall assure that the relationship does not adversely impact the work and learning environment.
B. Professional Boundaries with Students
Staff are prohibited from engaging in unnecessary physical contact, including sexual contact, with students. Examples of student 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 include, but are not limited to:
Adoption Date: June 11, 2018
- any type of inappropriate physical contact with a student or any other conduct that might be considered harassment under Board policy
- furnishing alcohol, drugs or tobacco to a student or being present when any student is consuming these substances
- repeating sexual or inappropriate romantic rumors
- 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
- singling out a particular student or students for personal attention or friendship beyond the ordinary professional staff-student relationship
- being alone with a student behind closed doors
- initiating or extending contact with a student beyond the school day or outside of class times for the staff member's personal purposes
- sending or accompanying a student on personal errands
- inviting a student to a staff member's home without appropriate chaperones
- going to a student's home when the student's parent/guardian or an appropriate chaperone is not present
- 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
- giving gifts or money to a student
- flirting, propositions or sexual remarks
- sexual slurs, leering, sexual or derogatory comments
- inappropriate comments about a student's body
- sexual jokes, notes, stories, drawings, gestures or pictures
- displaying or transmitting sexual pictures, objects or depictions
- disclosing personal, sexual, romantic, marital or employment issues or other private matters
- any communications without a legitimate educational purpose
| Cross References: | JLF - Reporting Child Abuse/Child Protection |
| JLF-R - Reporting Child Abuse/Child Protection | |