Naugatuck Pitches New Sexual Offenders on School Property Policy

***This proposed policy is pending before the Naugatuck Board of Education. Here is the proposal in its entirety.

Book Policies of the Naugatuck Board of Education, Section 1000 School-Community Relations

Title Sexual Offenders on School Property, Code 1116

Status Proposed

Definitions

For the purpose of this policy, a sexual offender is defined in Connecticut General Statutes §54-250 through §54-261 and/or is required per these statutes to register on the state’s sex offender registry. A parent/guardian sexual offender is an individual who meets this policy’s definition of sexual offender and who has either parental or legal guardianship rights to a child attending a District school.

A non-parent/non-guardian sexual offender is an individual who meets this policy’s definition of sexual offender and who has no parental rights or legal guardianship rights to a child attending a district school.

School property includes all land within the perimeter of the school site and all school buildings, structures, facilities, computer networks and systems, and school vehicles, whether owned or leased by the school district, and the site of any school-sponsored activity.

Non-parent/Guardian Sexual Offenders

A non-parent sexual offender is prohibited from entering a District school except:

1. When he/she is a qualified voter and is entering school property solely for the purpose of casting his/her vote.

2. To attend an open meeting.

A non-parent sex offender who attempts to communicate electronically with a student while the student is on school property will be considered on school property without permission and will be in violation of this policy.

Parent/Guardian Sex Offenders

Parent/guardian sexual offenders are prohibited from entering school property except:

1. When he/she is a qualified voter and is entering school property solely for the purpose of casting his/her vote.

2. To attend an open meeting.

3. With the Superintendent’s prior written approval in the following instances:
a. To transport his/her own child to and/or from school.

b. To attend a conference to discuss his/her student’s progress, placement, or individual
education plan (IEP).

c. Under other circumstances on a case-by-case basis, as determined by the
Superintendent.

Student Sex Offenders
The Superintendent or his/her designee shall determine the appropriate educational placement for student sex offenders except those identified as having a disability. When determining educational placement, the Superintendent or his/her designee shall consider such factors as the safety and health of the student population.

The Superintendent or designee shall develop guidelines for managing each student sexual offender in District schools. If the Superintendent of designee determines that, in the best interest of District schools, the student sexual offender should be placed in an alternative educational setting, the District shall pay for the costs associated with this placement.

A PPT/IEP team shall determine the educational placement of a student sexual offender with a disability. The student with a disability is entitled to all the due process procedures available to a student with a disability under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. The PPT/IEP team shall develop procedures for managing each student sexual offender with a disability that attends a District school.

If the PPT/IEP team determines that the student sexual offender should be placed in an alternative educational setting, the District shall pay for the costs associated with this placement.

General Provisions
A parent/guardian sex offender who attempts to communicate electronically with a student other than his/her child while the student is on school property will be considered on school property without permission and will be in violation of this policy. The Superintendent or his/her designee will inform the appropriate principal and other relevant District staff of the scope of the permission granted to each sexual offender.

Sexual offenders who receive permission to enter school property must immediately report to the individual or location designated in the Superintendent’s or designee’s written permission statement. The building Principal shall assign a chaperone to accompany the sexual offender while he/she is on district property. The only exceptions to these requirements are when the Superintendent grants permission to a parent/guardian sex offender to transport his/her child and when a student sex offender receives permission to attend a District school in which case the guidelines developed for this individual shall apply.

The Superintendent shall use the Connecticut sex offender registry law, in conjunction with policy #1115R, to establish a system for identifying sexual offenders and will inform known sexual offenders of this policy. Lack of notification does not excuse sexual offenders from abiding by the requirements and prohibitions in this policy.

The Superintendent will contact law enforcement anytime a sexual offender violates this policy and will immediately revoke any privileges granted to the sexual offender under this policy.
Parents/guardian who are registered sex offenders shall receive a copy of this policy via registered mail.

Legal Reference:
Connecticut General Statutes: 54-250 through 54-261 Registration of Sexual Offenders.

PA 07-143: An Act Concerning Jessica’s Law and Consensual Sexual Activity Between Adolescents Close in Age to Each Other.

PA 07-4, June 07 Special Session: An Act Concerning the Provisions of the Budget Concerning Education.

United States Code, Title 42 14071 Jacob Wetterling Crimes against Children and Sexually Violent Offender Registration Program Act.