SERIES 5000: STUDENTS, CURRICULUM, AND ACADEMIC MATTERS
5700 Student Health and Safety
5701 Child Abuse and Neglect
Mandated reporters must immediately report all instances of suspected child abuse or neglect pursuant to Michigan’s Child Protection Law and Policy 4202. All other employees, volunteers, and contractors who are not mandated reporters are also expected to immediately report all instances of suspected child abuse or neglect.
The District will cooperate with Children’s Protective Services (CPS) during an investigation of suspected child abuse or neglect. Cooperation may include allowing CPS access to a student without parent/guardian consent if CPS determines access is necessary to complete the investigation or prevent abuse or neglect. The District will not impose conditions on the investigator or investigation beyond what is permitted by law.
Before a CPS investigator is given access to a student, the building principal or designee will verify the investigator’s credentials.
The building principal or designee may be present for the student’s interview, at the discretion of CPS. If CPS seeks to remove a student from school, the building principal or designee will: (1) provide CPS with the student’s parent/guardian phone number and address; and (2) request that the CPS official sign a statement certifying that the student is being removed because of safety-related concerns. If the CPS official refuses to or is unable to sign the requested certification, the building principal or designee will document the removal, including the name(s) of the CPS official(s) removing the student, the stated reason(s) given for the removal, the identity of the person(s) witnessing the removal, and the date and time of the removal.
The District may share student records with CPS only as permitted by Policy 5309 and the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act.
If the District makes a report to CPS, the District will maintain a copy of the written report with the reporter’s identity redacted. The reporter’s identity will remain confidential unless disclosure is authorized by the reporter’s consent or by court order
“Mandated reporter” means a physician, dentist, physician’s assistant, registered dental hygienist, medical examiner, nurse, person licensed to provide emergency medical care, audiologist, psychologist, marriage and family therapist, licensed professional counselor, social worker, licensed master’s social worker, licensed bachelor’s social worker, registered social service technician, social service technician, a person employed in a professional capacity in any office of the friend of the court, school administrator, school counselor or teacher, law enforcement officer, member of the clergy, or regulated child care provider who has reasonable cause to suspect child abuse or child neglect.
Legal authority: 20 USC 1232g; MCL 722.621 et seq.
Date adopted: 08/09/2021
Date revised:
