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Senate committee advances bill requiring "traceable" staff-student communication after parents recount counselor’s conduct
Summary
The Senate Families and Children Committee voted 9-0 to forward SB181, which would require school districts to use traceable channels for communication between students and staff, after testimony from an Anderson County family and a survivor of educator misconduct.
The Senate Standing Committee on Families and Children voted unanimously to give Senate Bill 181 a favorable recommendation after extended testimony from a family in Anderson County and a survivor of educator sexual misconduct.
Senator Lindsey Tichenor, R‑6, introduced SB181 as legislation “relating to school employee and volunteer misconduct,” saying it would “put in place standards that protect the education profession and the proper relationships between students and those in authority.” The bill would require districts to adopt policies that limit staff, coach and volunteer contact with students to “traceable” forms of communication and would require employees and volunteers to report known private communications so parents are notified and districts may take action. Section 2 includes a provision described by Tichenor as protecting minors’ anonymity for 120 days.
The bill drew its most detailed evidence from Stacy and Brad Briscoe of Anderson County, who told the committee their…
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