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Board holds first reading to allow school staff to monitor — not sit in on — student abuse/neglect interviews
Summary
At a first reading of Policy 54.13, Beatrice Public Schools trustees reviewed a proposed change to how school employees are present for student interviews in suspected child abuse or neglect cases; the revision would allow staff to monitor interviews from outside the room to reduce subpoena risk and encourage candid student responses.
Beatrice Public Schools held a first reading of proposed changes to Policy 54.13, “Student Interviews,” asking that school employees be allowed to monitor — but not necessarily sit in on — interviews related to suspected child abuse or neglect.
Superintendent Jason Alexander told the board the change was requested by law enforcement and the county attorney. “The ask from the law enforcement and county attorney was that we have the ability to monitor the interview, but not necessarily sit in on it,” Alexander said. He said two main reasons drove the request: protecting staff from being subpoenaed and creating an environment in which students are more likely to disclose sensitive information.
“First and foremost, if our principals or counselors are in on those meetings, it can put them in a position where they can be subpoenaed to court. Even if they didn't say anything, they could be subpoenaed and have to go to court as a witness,” Alexander said. He added that investigators believe students may be more forthcoming if a school employee is not physically present during the interview because the student will return to that staff member at school.
Under the current policy language identified by Alexander (page 3, section c), an employee of Beatrice Public Schools — typically a principal or counselor — was written as mandated to be involved in such interviews. The proposed revision would require that an employee be present and/or monitoring the interview in real time to ensure the questioning is limited to the relevant matters, but it would not mandate staff participation inside the interview room.
Board members asked clarifying questions during the discussion and were told the change had been requested by Chief Jay Murphy and county attorney Roger Harris. The item was presented as a first reading; no vote or formal adoption occurred at this meeting. The board will consider the policy again at a future meeting before any final action is taken.
The discussion was recorded during the meeting’s discussion session and was introduced by the superintendent; it concluded when the board moved on to the action portion of the agenda.
