Board Policy
Professional Conduct
Between Adults and Students
5.10.064
1
PURPOSE
District staff show extraordinary dedication and care in their daily work
with students. A hallmark of this commitment is the development of strong
relationships between adults and students. We believe that:
A. Children are always learning about healthy relationships, and
their most significant learning about relationships comes from
how adults behave.
B. Consistent relationship boundaries help children feel safe.
Boundaries help them trust adults and help them know what
is healthy behavior.
C. Children need adults to be adults. Adults’ behaviors set the
conditions for healthy relationships.
D. Adults are responsible for creating safe spaces.
The purpose of this policy is to establish common understanding and
expectations for all adults in our District on setting consistent and safe
boundaries with students. Those boundaries maintain the healthy
relationships and safe spaces that students need to thrive.
GENERAL STANDARDS & DEFINITIONS
A.
For purposes of this policy, except as specifically noted, “adults” include
any and all District employees, coaches, substitutes, contracted service
providers, and volunteers in their interactions with students in District
schools and programs.
B.
“Student” means any person: (1) Who is: (a) In any grade from pre-
kindergarten through grade 12; or (b) Twenty-one years of age or
younger and receiving educational or related services from an education
provider that is not a post-secondary institution of education; or (2)
Who was previously known to the adult covered under this policy as a
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Professional Conduct
Between Adults and Students
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student and who left school or graduated from high school within 90
days of any alleged conduct violating this policy.
C.
For purposes of this policy, the term “legitimate educational purpose”
includes matters or communications related to teaching, counseling,
athletics, extracurricular activities, social-emotional support that serves
the interest of the student, treatment of a student’s physical injury or
other medical needs, school administration, or other purposes within
the scope of the adult’s employment or other District-related duties.
D.
A “boundary violation” is behavior or interaction by an adult with
a student that has no legitimate educational purpose and has the
potential to cause harm to the student.
E.
All adults should maintain the highest professional and ethical
standards when interacting with students. These standards are defined
by the Oregon Teacher Standards and Practices Commission and by
District policy.
F.
Volunteers play unique and important roles in students’ lives, and many
also have relationships outside the school setting. This policy applies to
volunteers in the context of their volunteer commitment with the
District. The District expects volunteers to maintain appropriate
conduct with students when they are engaged in District-authorized
activities as outlined in this and other policies.
GUIDELINES FOR INTERACTIONS BETWEEN ADULTS AND STUDENTS
A.
General Guidelines and Required Training
The interactions and relationships between adults and students should be
based upon respect and trust, an understanding of the appropriate
boundaries between adults and students in and outside of the educational
setting, and consistency with the educational mission of our schools.
Adults may not intrude or appear to intrude on a student’s physical and
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Professional Conduct
Between Adults and Students
5.10.064
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emotional boundaries unless the purpose of the interaction is to serve a
legitimate educational purpose.
Adults with direct, unsupervised contact with students are required to
complete annual training provided by the District on sexual conduct
prevention to provide guidance and establish appropriate professional
boundaries for student-adult interactions.
We recognize that forming a relationship with students is an important
aspect of teaching; however, adults should not engage in discussions with
students when its purpose is to meet the adult’s personal needs rather
than the student’s needs. If a student initiates a discussion about a
significant personal or family problem, adults are encouraged to seek
guidance from appropriate resources such as their principal or school
counselors, as needed.
B.
Conduct Outside a School Setting
Adults shall use good judgment in their relationships with students beyond
their work responsibilities and/or outside the school setting. Informal and
social involvements with individual students should be based on
appropriate professional boundaries. Volunteers with community-based
relationships with students are not subject to this provision in their
relationships with those students in non-District settings. In addition to
regular classroom instruction and extracurricular activities, staff members
may also act in their professional capacity outside of the school day—for
example, in providing before- and after-care, tutoring to improve students’
academic skills, mentoring that provides students with positive role models,
answering questions about school assignments, hosting school-sanctioned
or school-sponsored activities and events. We recognize that adults will
also encounter students out in our community in the normal course of their
personal lives.
Even during non-school hours, when District employees and third-party
contractors are acting in their professional capacity, they must maintain at
all times ethical standards consistent with Teachers Standards and Practices
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Professional Conduct
Between Adults and Students
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Commission (TSPC) standards and District policies.
One-to-one tutoring and mentoring offered during school or non-school
hours must take place at the school unless the principal or appropriate
supervisor has received prior notification of an off-site location and written
permission from the parent/guardian has been obtained. Unless otherwise
approved by the principal or other District administrator, volunteers on
District property must be under the supervision of a District staff member.
C.
Appropriate Personal and Community Relationships
There may be circumstances where there is an appropriate personal
relationship between staff and a student's family that exists independently
of the staff member’s position with the District (e.g., when the families’
children are friends). This policy is not intended to interfere with such
relationships or to limit activities that are normally consistent with such
relationships.
The District understands that adults may be involved in other roles in the
community through civic, religious, family, athletic, scouting, private
tutoring, or other organizations and programs whose participants may
include District students. This policy is not intended to interfere with or
restrict an adult’s ability to serve in those roles; however, staff members
are strongly encouraged to maintain professional boundaries appropriate
to the nature of the activity with regard to all youth with whom they
interact in the course of their community involvement.
D.
Appropriate Use of Email, Websites & Social Media
The District allows and supports the use of technology to communicate
transparently and for legitimate educational purposes. As with all forms of
communication, adults are expected to maintain professional boundaries
with students when communicating via electronic communications and
social media.
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Professional Conduct
Between Adults and Students
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Staff or students may use approved educational websites if such sites are
used solely for legitimate educational purposes.
1.
Email Communication
All email communications from employees to students must be
through a PPS-provided email address as described in the District’s
Acceptable Use Policy (8.60.40) and Social Media Administrative
Directive 8.60.045-AD.
2.
Social Media
District employees who wish to use social media as a tool to assist
them in their professional duties must maintain separate accounts for
professional and personal social media use and may follow or accept
requests to connect from students only through their professional
social media presence established consistent with the requirements
set forth in the Social Media Administrative Directive 8.60.045-AD.
Staff should have no expectation of privacy when communicating to
students, including on a social media platform (e.g. Facebook,
Twitter). Staff should not promise students absolute confidentiality in
their communications.
3.
Group Text Messages
The use of group text messaging has become a convenient tool for
coaches and other staff working with students to relay information.
District employees and third-party contractors shall use this method
of communication only with both District approval and parental
knowledge. Text messages to individual students through District-
approved platforms shall contain only information with a legitimate
educational purpose.
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Professional Conduct
Between Adults and Students
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E.
IN-PERSON INTERACTIONS
1.
One-on-one meetings with students
There will be times when adults are alone with students to discuss
legitimate educational issues, including discipline or academic
performance, for example. When possible, adults should meet one-
on-one with students in a public space, such as libraries, open
classrooms, or in places observable by others, such as offices or
classrooms with windows and unlocked, ajar doors. When
supporting students with sensitive issues, as is common for staff
such as counselors and social workers, it is appropriate to provide a
private setting. To maintain transparency, it is also good practice to
let others know when and where meetings with a student will occur.
2.
Personal communication with students
Connecting with students and building rapport is an important
component to the staff-student relationship, and adults should
promote healthy relationships with all students.
There are many times when a staff member’s request for personal
information is for a legitimate educational purpose. For example,
personal reflection, relationships, or experiences are often part of a
journaling exercise, and this policy is not intended to interfere with
or impede this type of educational activity. It is appropriate for
adults to check in with students about their well-being and/or
whether they need any support with their school work. This policy
does not prohibit that kind of healthy support of students.
If a student discloses information about the student’s significant
personal or family problems, adults are expected to seek guidance
from appropriate resources such as their principal or school
counselor, as needed.
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Professional Conduct
Between Adults and Students
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Adults are also expected to bring their concerns to their supervisor’s
attention when they have reason to believe a student is or may be
becoming overly attached to or interested in them or other staff.
3.
Traveling with or transporting students
When transporting students to athletic events and other
extracurricular activities, adults need to notify the District and the
student’s parent/guardian of the travel itinerary and may not
transport students in a personal vehicle in a non-emergency situation
without advance authorization by the District or as defined by the
Coaches Handbook
(https://
www.pilathletics.com/page/show/5161432-hs-coach-s-
handbook).
If an emergency situation arises that requires a staff member to
transport a student without prior approval, the staff member shall
alert a direct supervisor and the parent of the situation as soon as
practicable.
When traveling out of town, staff must follow the procedure outlined
in the Field Trips Administrative Directive (6.50.011-AD). Adults are
prohibited from entering a student’s hotel room without another
adult present, except in an emergency.
4.
Physical contact with students
Adults should not initiate any physical contact without a legitimate
educational purpose including offering public greetings, positive
acknowledgments, or responding to a crisis. There are times when
adults have a legitimate educational purpose to initiate physical
contact with a student, and noninvasive contact, such as “high fives”
or fist bumps to acknowledge a job well done are fine. In other
instances, adults may be required to assist an injured student or a
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student with special needs who requires physical assistance.
Likewise, adults may need to touch a student’s arms or hands to
redirect them in an activity. Coaches, music teachers, and other
instructors may have a need for physical contact as a method of
instruction. Adults need to be aware of what kinds of physical
contact with which a student is and is not comfortable and limit
physical contact to only that which is necessary for a legitimate
purpose. Any physical redirection of students must be pursuant to
the District’s Physical Restraint and Seclusion Administrative
Directive 4.50.060-AD.
5.
Respecting student privacy
Adults must honor a student’s physical and emotional boundaries
unless the interaction serves a legitimate educational purpose or is in
response to an emergency.
Examples:
Physical Surroundings: Adults should not invade a student’s privacy
by entering a restroom, locker room, or other space where a student
may not be fully clothed unless it falls within a staff member’s regular
job duties under an established written protocol, an emergency, or
the staff needs to use the facility for a legitimate and intended
purpose (e.g., if it is not practical due to distance and time
constraints to use a staff-only restroom).
Personal Space: Adults should respect a student’s private space and
be conscious of a student’s cultural and personal boundaries when
communicating (e.g., adults should be conscious of standing too
close to students when interacting with them).
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Professional Conduct
Between Adults and Students
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6.
Exceptions
An emergency or a legitimate educational purpose may justify
deviation from professional boundaries set out in this policy. Adults
shall be prepared to articulate the reason for any exception from the
requirements of this policy and must demonstrate that an
appropriate relationship was maintained with the student at all
times. Adults must ensure that any exception is narrowly tailored to
the circumstances and must report it to their supervisor within 24
hours.
BOUNDARY VIOLATIONS
A boundary violation is behavior or interaction by an adult in a position of
power with a student that has no legitimate educational purpose, and has
the potential to cause harm to the student.
A. Examples of boundary violations/prohibited conduct
Examples of conduct that violates professional adult/student
boundaries in or outside of school hours include, but are not limited
to, the following:
1.
Any type of conduct that would be considered sexual
harassment under the District’s Non-Discrimination/Anti-
Harassment Policy (1.80.020-P);
2.
Having any sexual conduct, including verbal or physical conduct
or contact through written or electronic communications, with a
student that is a sexual advance or request for a sexual favor or is
of a sexual nature and is directed toward the student or that has
the effect of unreasonably interfering with the student’s
educational performance, or of creating an intimidating, hostile,
or offensive educational environment; and
3.
Assault when sexual contact occurs without a student’s consent
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Professional Conduct
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because the student is under the influence of drugs or alcohol, is
unconscious, or is pressured through physical force, coercion or
explicit or implied threats.
a. Examples of this behavior include, but are not limited to,
the following:
1)
Engaging in a romantic or sexual relationship with
a student;
2)
Dating, flirting with, or propositioning a student;
3)
Showing pornography to a student;
4)
Discussing, writing, texting, transmitting, and/or
displaying material to students about sexual topics
unrelated to curriculum or a legitimate educational
purpose;
5)
Banter, allusions, jokes, or innuendos of a sexual
nature with students;
6)
Patting buttocks or touching other intimate parts of a
student;
7)
Permitting students to engage in behaviors with an
adult that cross appropriate physical boundaries, e.g.,
allowing students to give shoulder massages to the
adult or allowing students to sit on an adult’s lap;
8)
Singling out a particular student or students for
favoritism, special privileges, or exchanging of gifts
beyond the employee-student relationship;
9)
Disclosing intimate or sexual matters to a student,
unless necessary to serve a legitimate educational
purpose.
4.
Bullying or other violations of the District’s Anti-Harassment Policy
4.30.060-P.
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Professional Conduct
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5.
Favoring a student when its purpose is to meet the adult’s
personal needs rather than the student’s needs;
6.
Inviting individual students to the adult’s home without parental
notice and approval unless otherwise noted in “Exceptions”
section of the policy;
7.
Being in the company of students who are consuming alcohol,
drugs, or tobacco without intervening and reporting the conduct
to appropriate personnel;
8.
Sending or accompanying a student on personal errands or
travel unrelated to any legitimate educational purpose;
9.
Telling a student to keep something secret from other adults;
10.
Addressing students or permitting students to address adults
with personalized terms of endearment, pet names, or otherwise
in an overly familiar manner that may cross appropriate
professional boundaries;
11.
Giving a student a ride alone in a vehicle in a non-emergency
situation; except as permitted under this policy and Field
Trips 6.50.011-AD;
12.
Engaging in prohibited social media and electronic communications
between adults and students as defined by the District’s Acceptable
Use Policy (8.60.40) and Social Media Administrative Directive
8.60.045-AD.
a)
Examples of this behavior include, but are not limited to,
the following:
1)
District employees acting in their District capacity
are prohibited from inappropriate online socializing
with students, including phone calls, texting,
skyping, instant messaging, or use of any other
telecommunications method, or from engaging in
any conduct that violates the law, District policies,
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or
other generally recognized professional standards.
2)
Adults shall not communicate with students, for
any reason, through use of a medium, blog, or
app (software or phone application) that is
designed to eliminate all traces or records of the
communication (e.g., Snapchat).
3)
District employees and third-party contractors may
not communicate with current students through
social media directly or through private messaging
tools without both written District approval and
parental notice.
DUTY TO REPORT POSSIBLE VIOLATIONS
A.
Adults shall discuss with their building administrator or supervisor
whenever they suspect or are unsure whether their conduct, or the
conduct of other adults, is inappropriate or constitutes a violation of this
policy. If the adult is dissatisfied with the response of the building
administrator or supervisor, or does not feel comfortable discussing the
situation with those individuals, they may bring it to the attention of the
Chief of Human Resources. If the alleged behavior deals with
harassment, intimidation, or bullying, the process in Policy 4.30.060-P
should be followed. The District will investigate all complaints.
Any District employee who has reasonable cause to believe that another
adult has engaged in sexual conduct as defined by Prohibition Against
Employee Child Abuse and Sexual Conduct with Students 5.10.063-ADor
sexual abuse as defined by statute shall immediately report this
behavior to their school compliance officer and to the District Title IX
Director. Additionally, any District employee or other mandatory
reporter of abuse/neglect who has reasonable cause to believe that a
child has been abused must promptly fulfill the mandatory reporting
requirements to law enforcement and the Department of Human
Services and report the allegation to their principal or supervisor.
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Professional Conduct
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District employees whose conduct violates this policy or who fail to
report violations of this policy, may face discipline and/or termination,
consistent with the District’s policies and applicable collective bargaining
agreements.
Violations of this policy by volunteers or contracted service providers
may result in a prohibition from working or serving on District properties
or with District students in school programs, or may result in contract
cancellation. The District shall notify law enforcement of any potentially
unlawful conduct, as appropriate.
B.
Student/Parent and Guardian Reporting
Students and/or parents/guardians are strongly encouraged to notify
the principal or other appropriate administrator if they believe an adult
may be engaging in conduct that violates this policy.
CONFIDENTIALITY AND NON-RETALIATION
Staff members making a report of potential boundary violations or other
prohibited conduct are specifically advised of the following:
1.
They must directly notify a supervisor of the conduct;
2.
They are required to maintain confidentiality; and
3.
They are neither permitted to investigate nor responsible for
investigating whether the conduct is inappropriate.
Confidentiality protects the student(s) as well as the adult who is the
subject of the report. Failure to maintain confidentiality may impede the
investigation and foster untrue and potentially harmful rumors. False
reports are regarded as a serious offense and may result in disciplinary
action or other appropriate sanctions.
Board Policy
Professional Conduct
Between Adults and Students
5.10.064
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The District prohibits retaliation against anyone who makes a good-faith
report under this policy. Any District employee who retaliates against any
complainant, reporter, or other participant in an investigation may be
subject to discipline, up to and including dismissal.
TRAINING
The Superintendent or his/her designee shall develop an annual training for
all staff and ensure ongoing review of procedures to support this policy.
Adopted 10/15/2019; Amended 1/2021; Amended 6/2021
Legal Reference: ORS 342.704; ORS 339.370 et seq.
