423 Procedure: Employee-Student Relationships

I.    ROLES FOR SCHOOL DISTRICT EMPLOYEES

A.    District employees are expected to exercise good judgment and professionalism in all interpersonal relationships with students. Such relationships must be and remain on a teacher-student basis or an employee-student basis.

B.    Teachers and administrators are expected to comply with their respective Codes of Ethics.

C.    Excessive informal and social involvement with individual students is unprofessional, is not compatible with employee-student relationships, and is inappropriate.

D.    Teachers and other District employees have inherent positions of authority and influence over students and must be mindful of that status. Teachers and other District employees should not use their positions to intimidate, berate or shame students for sincerely held beliefs. 

E.    District employees will maintain professional ethics and boundaries in their use of electronic communication including social media in their personal and professional lives. In order to maintain appropriate boundaries, District employees should consider separating personal and professional content online.

1.    Teachers may elect to use online social media in the classroom for purposes of instruction. If using social media in the classroom, teachers will instruct students on the appropriate use of the social media sites. Teachers using online social media in the classroom will ensure compliance with any applicable terms of use of the online social media site.

2.    The school district may take appropriate responsive action to an employee’s private use of online social media if that use adversely affects the workplace or violates applicable professional codes of ethics.

3.    Employees, including coaches and advisors, who participate in online social media networking groups representing student groups, do so as employees of the district.

II.    SAFEGUARDS FOR SCHOOL DISTRICT EMPLOYEES

A.    Consistent with professional ethics and the needs of individual students, District employees should avoid unnecessary physical contact with students. 

B.    When meeting with a student, District employees should meet only in rooms with windows or keep doors to the meeting rooms open or meet in areas with others nearby.

C.    District employees should adhere to Policy #441 and Procedure #441, Technology and Internet Acceptable Use by Staff, in all electronic communication with students.   

D.    District employees should adhere to Policy #707 and provide rides to students only in an emergency situation in accordance with authorization by the site manager.  In such cases, two adults must be in the vehicle with the student.

III.    REPORTING AND INVESTIGATION

A.    Employees with complaints or concerns about possible violations of Policy #423 will report their concerns to their supervisor, their supervisor’s supervisor or the District’s Human Rights Officer in accordance with Procedure #102. 

B.    Employees will cooperate with investigations of allegations of violations of this policy.

C.    The District will promptly investigate allegations of violations of this policy.

D.    The District will report to the Minnesota Board of Teaching in accordance with legal reporting requirements.

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Created/Revised
Revised:  4/17/2018
Created:  6/18/2013

Legal References
Minn. Stat. § 13.43, subd. 16 
Minn. Stat. § 122A.20, subd. 2 
Minn. Stat. § 122A.40, subds. 5(b), 13(b) 
Minn. Stat. § 626.556 
Minn. Rules 3512.5200 (Code of Ethics for School Administrators)
Minn. Rules 8700.7500 (Code of Ethics for Minnesota Teachers)

Cross References
Policy 414: Mandated Reporting of Child Neglect or Physical or Sexual Abuse
Policy 441: Technology and Internet Acceptable Use By Staff
Policy 707: Transportation of Students
Procedure 102: Equal Educational and Employment Opportunity