New District Policy Addresses Sex Offenders

A change to school district policy addressing sex offenders could be approved next Monday after board members voted to allow for a second reading of the policy at Monday’s regularly scheduled Trenton Board of Education meeting.

The policy pertains to allowing parents and/or guardians to visit the school, even those who are registered sex offenders.

The portion of the policy dealing with sex offenders is one of 12 sections included in the policy.

Section 12 of the policy states:

“Parent(s)/Guardian(s), who are registered sex offender and wish to participate in their child’s school activities, may be allowed on campus at the discretion and under the direction of the principal. Conditions may be imposed, including but not limited to the following: must have prior permission, must check in, must have approved escort in building or at event, must leave premises immediately upon conclusion of business, and may not visit while school is in session.”

The Michigan Association of School Boards provided the policy to the district.

In no way does the policy override any legal responsibilities an individual may have with local or state law enforcement according to Brad Banasik, legal counsel for the MASB.

“The liability stands with the sex offender,” Banasik said. “Responsibility remains with the individual … the district doesn’t give immunity to the registered sex offender.”

Banasik added policies provided by MASB are a starting point and are subject to changes made by local school boards.

Superintendent Larry Leapley said previous policies regarding visitation to schools did not contain language regarding sex offenders. Leapley said Section 12 is an attempt to make updates of the school board policies current and legal so a school district is not reacting to a situation without some guidelines in place.

“It allows the school district to be prepared to protect our children if this type of situation presents itself in the near future instead of having to react without any guidelines in place,” Leapley said.

Not all nearby districts use policies provided by the MASB.

The Woodhaven-Brownstown School District adopted a school visitation policy provided by NEOLA.

NEOLA serves school districts by developing and updating board bylaws and policies, administrative guidelines/procedures, forms, staff handbooks and student/parent handbooks in electronic and printed formats, according to the NEOLA website.

Mark Greathead, superintendent of the Woodhaven-Brownstown School District, said the NEOLA policy doesn’t contain a section specifically regarding sex offenders.

Superintendent Russell Pickell of the Riverview Community School District said school boards use policies handed down by organizations such as the MASB and NEOLA as a foundation and as a sounding board and to get examples.

He added the Riverview School District does not have policy language addressing sex offenders either.

“If you are on the registered sex offenders list, you can’t be with kids on school grounds,” Pickell said. “That’s part of federal law.”

Board president Mike Hawkins said he and other board members plan to look at the policy over the next week, specifically Section 12, and see if changes need to be made.

“Our goal is the safety of students,” Hawkins said.

The next Trenton Board of Education meeting is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Feb. 27.