The primary responsibility for maintaining proper order and conduct in the schools resides with District staff. Staff shall be responsible for holding students accountable for infractions of school rules, which may include minor violations of the law occurring during school hours or at school activities.

However, there are times when District staff will call upon law enforcement, child protective services, and/or the county health department to ensure the safety and protection of students or staff. Where there is substantial threat to the health and safety of students or others, such as in the cases of bomb threats, threats of violence, or threats of substantial bodily harm, law enforcement agencies shall be called upon for immediate assistance. Information regarding major violations of the law shall be communicated to the appropriate law enforcement agency in a timely manner.

The District shall strive to develop and maintain cooperative working relationships with law enforcement, child protective authorities, and health department officials. The Superintendent or designee shall confer with representatives of these agencies to establish agreed upon procedures. Such procedures should address the handling/reporting of child abuse and neglect allegations/investigations; communicable disease allegations/investigations; criminal allegations/investigations, including, bomb threats/other threat assessment, and arrests by law enforcement officers on school premises, the availability of law enforcement personnel for crowd control purposes, and other matters that affect school and law enforcement cooperation. The District will revise the procedures as necessary and make them available to affected staff members.

If the District engages with a School Resource Officer (SRO), the District will clarify its relationship with the SRO, including the SRO's purpose, role, supervisory structure, and limitations on access to student information in a written Memorandum Of Understanding (MOU).

In contrast to the working relationships noted above, the work of immigration agents does not overlap with the work or duties of the District. This is because the District's obligation to educate children residing within its boundaries is not diminished by the children or parents' immigration status. Further, the District supports the federal immigration enforcement policy that directs immigration agents to avoid questioning and arrests at sensitive locations including schools. Therefore, staff shall not grant information or access to immigration agents unless/until the Superintendent and/or General Counsel determine the request complies with Plyler v. Doe and other applicable laws.

Child Protective Services or agencies and law enforcement are defined as stated in RCW 26.44.020. County health department means a local entity defined in RCW 70.05.010. "Immigration agent" shall mean an agent of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, any individuals authorized to conduct enforcement of civil immigration laws under 8 U.S.C. §1357(g) or any other federal law, other federal agents charged with enforcement of civil immigration laws, and any successors.


Legal References:

Adoption Date: November 10, 1997
Revised: January 26, 2009
Revised: May 28, 2019