Escambia School Board Looks At How Law Enforcement Questions Students

June 6, 2013

The Escambia County School Board spent nearly three hours Wednesday evening discussing how to better inform students and parents that parents can usually be present if the child is questioned by law enforcement.

Current policy already states that schools will make a reasonable effort to alert parents or guardians if their student has been arrested or questioned by law enforcement. Escambia County Board Chairman Gary Bergosh wanted to expand that policy to get parental permission, most of the time, before a student is questioned.

“I’d hate to get to the point where we handcuff our resource officers where they can’t help us,” Superintendent Malcolm Thomas said during the workshop meeting, after hearing from parents, administrators, deputies and Sheriff David Morgan.

Tate High School Principal Rick Shackle told the school board that there are times administrators need the school resource officers — on-campus Escambia County Sheriff’s deputies — in student questioning regardless of parental permission.

As an example, Shackle said a resource officer may be needed for the protection of an administrator, such as after a fight, because “the guy might be bigger than me”. School Board Attorney Donna Waters said school resource deputies would continue to be allowed in questioning for the protection of school staff — one of the extenuating circumstances in which a parent might not be contacted before a law enforcement officer becomes involved in questioning.

Thomas plans to recommend that the board keep the current policy and add a little extra warning to the district’s Student Rights and Responsibilities Handbook.

Language will be added to the handbook, including the parental signature page, alerting students and parents that a student may request a parent’s presence during questioning by law enforcement, in accordance with state law and the Constitution.

If there are extenuating circumstances — such as the student questioning deals with parental abuse or a possible crime committed by the parent — parents may not be contacted by the school and law enforcement questioning will continue.

The wording change and additions in the district’s Student Rights and Responsibilities Handbook must first be approved by the school board during a regular meeting.

Pictured top: Escambia School Superintendent Malcolm Thomas at a special board workshop Wednesday evening. Pictured top inset: Board Chairman Jeff Bergosh wanted changes to the district’s policy regarding student questioning by law enforcement. Pictured bottom inset: Tate High Principal Rick Shackle. Pictured below: Escambia County Sheriff David Morgan addresses the Escambia County School Board. Courtesy images for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.

Comments

6 Responses to “Escambia School Board Looks At How Law Enforcement Questions Students”

  1. 5432what on June 8th, 2013 9:56 am

    Yeah right cameras schools would never do that cause then people would see its not always the child’s fault. Besides the schools would never let parents see kinda like the bus yeah like the parents ever get to see those.

  2. David Huie Green on June 8th, 2013 12:58 am

    REGARDING:
    “It is best to teach your child to say nothing”

    It would make for more orderly classes too.
    Hard to get feedback or answer student’s questions, though, if they never speak.

    David for lots and lots of cameras
    so questions need not be asked

  3. Marsha on June 6th, 2013 1:50 pm

    It is best to teach your child to say nothing… Really I also think that parents need to be called when they sign punishment papers also my child can not read and has signed stuff that he didn’t understand what was said. I don’t have a problem with punishment but these papers stay on their records and nothing can be done at least I been told. I know I could get a lawyer and fight it cause his dr told me I needed to but good luck with that people don’t really care.

  4. hmm on June 6th, 2013 12:08 pm

    The student handbook already says they have the right to have their parents present….but what I don’t understand is making the officers call every time they need to talk to a student? Seems like they would be making a whole lot of phone calls during the day with kids these days that don’t behave. It would be a waiste of time and money to even have the officers there at the school. Might as well let them go back to the road and just get called in when there is a problem. I personally love the fact that the high schools have SRO’s. I bet the faculty is very grateful as well.

  5. jeeperman on June 6th, 2013 9:07 am

    Why is it that the school district seems to think they are their own little kingdom?
    There are laws on the books that address this already.

  6. 429SCJ on June 6th, 2013 6:22 am

    I see no problem with this as everyone has the right to remain silent.

    It is best to allow your attorney do the speaking.

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News