The Superintendent shall develop procedures to manage requests by agency officials or police officers to interview students at school. Procedures will:
1. Recognize individual student rights and privacy,
2. Recognize the potential impact an interview may have on an individual student,
3. Minimize potential disruption,
4. Foster a cooperative relationship with public agencies and law enforcement, and
5. Comply with State law including, but not limited to, ensuring that before a law enforcement officer, school resource officer, or other school security person detains and questions on school grounds a student under 18 years of age who is suspected of committing a criminal act, the Superintendent or designee will:
a. Notify or attempt to notify the student’s parent/guardian and document the time and manner in writing;
b. Make reasonable efforts to ensure the student’s parent/guardian is present during questioning or, if they are not present, ensure that school employees (including, but not limited to, a school social worker, psychologist, nurse, counselor, or any other mental health professional) are present during the questioning; and
c. If practicable, make reasonable efforts to ensure a trained law enforcement officer to promote safe interactions and communications with the student is present during questioning.
LEGAL REF.: 105 ILCS 5/10-20.64, 5/22-88.55 ILCS 80/, Children’s Advocacy Center Act.
325 ILCS 5/, Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act.
720 ILCS 5/31-1 et seq., Interference with Public Officers Act.
725 ILCS 120/, Rights of Crime Victims and Witnesses Act.
CROSS REF.: 5:90 (Abused and Neglected Child Reporting), 7:130 (Student Rights and Responsibilities), 7:140 (Search and Seizure), 7:190 (Student Behavior)
Updated: January 2022