FILE:  JCABC

Cf:  KLG

INTERROGATIONS

The DeSoto Parish School Board fully recognizes the responsibility police or child protection agencies have to protect all citizens by enforcing the laws of the community.  The School Board, in turn, has the responsibility to protect the students attending the schools of the district.  Therefore, public agency officials may visit the school to obtain information or perform other official business.  Any public agency official entering school premises, however, shall be required to report first to the office of the principal, state his purpose, and produce proper identification.

A student may not be interviewed during the school day or periods of extracurricular activities unless the principal or another delegated staff member is present.  If police officers or other officials request an interview for any issue other than child abuse, an attempt shall be made to contact the student's parents or legal guardian and to have one of them present during the interview and such notification shall be documented.  When the child is a minor (16 or under) the interrogation shall generally not proceed unless a parent is present.

If the topic of the interview is child abuse and the investigator determines that the child should be interviewed independently of his or her parent(s) and the school is the most appropriate setting for the interview, school officials may permit the investigation without contacting the parents.  It will be the responsibility of the investigator in abuse cases to determine who will be present during the interview.

No student may be taken from school without the consent of the building principal and without proper warrant, attachment, or subpoena.  Reasonable efforts shall be made to notify the parent/guardian.  In all cases, the welfare of the child and the protection of his or her constitutional rights shall be the principal's first consideration.

Approved:  August, 2004

Ref:    La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §17:81

DeSoto Parish School Board