Published: November 20, 2007 09:12 am         

Local administrators stand ready to enforce zero-tolerance policies should abuse occur

CUMBERLAND - Local school administrators say they haven't had to deal with teacher sex abuse, but they are prepared with no-tolerance policies if the need arises.

"In my time here?" asked Skip Hackworth, superintendent of schools for Mineral County for the past five years. "I haven't ever had to deal with a case of adult-on-student sexual harassment or misconduct. If we did, that teacher would be terminated. Our board has a zero-tolerance approach for drugs and we have the same policy approach for sexual misconduct."

Hackworth said the county's school board has specific details on the investigation of such an incident, including interviewing the people involved and others who may have knowledge of such an incident.

If sexual misconduct occurs between a teacher and a student, the teacher's immediate supervisor will put forward recommendations to the superintendent, but ultimately, the superintendent will make the decision on that employee's punishment.

Phil Lauver, supervisor of pupil services for the Garrett County Board of Education, said that while he deals more with the cases of student-on-student misconduct, the board has strict policies about any kind of abuse.

"Teachers are told to report any kind of child abuse or neglect," Lauver said. "Even failure to report can result in having a teacher lose their certification."

Lauver said with this policy for outside perpetrators, he was certain that the discipline from the board's perspective would be far more strict.

He said that he could not remember a case between teacher and student that he has ever had to deal with. Lauver said he felt that much of that has to do with the current tracking techniques for people with histories of sexual abuse.

"I'm sure that in a different school size, there could be a lot of variables," Lauver said, "but I would say it is difficult with anyone with a criminal history to be hired."

Policies at the Allegany County Board of Education are similar, with the same no-tolerance approach.

Mia Perlozzo, public relations specialist for the board, said that all regulations and disciplinary actions concerning sexual misconduct and even relationships between students and teachers are outlined in the school board policy available on the county's Web site at www.boe.allconet.org. The policy manual can be found under the heading, Online Forms.

The manual states that major infractions involving immorality and misconduct in office can result in discharge for the first offense.

Contact Sarah Moses at smoses@times-news.com.