FILE: JCABC
INTERROGATIONS
The Bossier Parish School Board fully recognizes the responsibility police or child protection agencies have to protect all citizens by enforcing the laws of the community. The School Board, in turn, has the responsibility to protect the students attending the schools of the district. Therefore, public agency officials may visit the school to obtain information or on other official business. Any public agency official entering school premises, however, shall be required to report first to the office of the principal, state his purpose, and produce proper identification.
A student may be interviewed during the school day after the principal or other administrator has been notified. Police officers or other officials may request an interview with a student or students for investigative purposes, such as child abuse investigations. However, once the student or students are considered suspects in a criminal matter, the parent(s) or legal guardian(s) should be contacted and possibly be present during the interview. When the student is seventeen (17) years of age, an interview by a police officer may be conducted without a parent or legal guardian present.
If the topic of the interview is child abuse and the investigator determines that the child should be interviewed independently of his or her parent(s) and the school is the most appropriate setting for the interview, school officials may permit the investigation without contacting the parents. It will be the responsibility of the investigator in abuse cases to determine who will be present during the interview.
No student may be taken from school without the consent of the building principal and without proper warrant, attachment, or subpoena. Reasonable efforts shall be made to notify the parent/guardian. In all cases, the welfare of the child and the protection of his or her constitutional rights shall be the principal's first consideration.
Ref: La. Rev. Stat. Ann. ยง17:81
Bossier Parish School Board