3226 Interviews and Interrogations of Students on School Premise

Although the district values its relationships with law enforcement, the Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF), and the county health department, the district discourages interviews and interrogations of students on school premises to minimize interruption of the instructional program. As a general rule, interviews and interrogations by any agency, including law enforcement, DCYF, and the county health department(s) should take place at the agency or the student’s home, rather than on school premises.

However, there are limited circumstances when an interview of students at school is warranted, for example school-initiated investigations, child abuse investigations, and/or serious crime investigations. When an onsite interview or interrogation is warranted by the circumstances, the district will utilize the procedures and protocols associated with this policy, which were developed in cooperation with these agencies and ensure that students and parent(s)/guardian(s) are afforded all rights under law. The interviews of students as witnesses, victims, and suspects are treated differently. 

In contrast to the limited circumstances noted above, the work of immigration agents does not overlap with the work or duties of the district. This is because the district’s obligation to educate the children residing within its boundaries is not diminished by the children or parents’ immigration status. The district supports the federal immigration enforcement policy that directs immigration agents to avoid questioning and arrests at sensitive locations, including schools. Therefore, staff shall not grant information or access to immigration agents unless/until the district superintendent and/or general counsel determine the request complies with Plyler v. Doe and other applicable laws according to the criteria in the associated procedure.

 

Legal References:  

RCW 26.44.030   Reports – Duty and authority to make – Duty of receiving agency – Duty to notify – Case planning and consultation – Penalty for unauthorized exchange of information – Filing dependency petitions – Investigations – Interview of children – Records – Risk assessment process

RCW 26.44.050   Abuse or neglect of child – Duty of law enforcement agency or department of social and health services – Taking child into custody without court order, when

RCW 26.44.110   Information about rights – Custody without court order – Written statement required – Contents

RCW 26.44.115   Child taken into custody under court order – Information to parents

RCW 28A.635.020   Willfully disobeying school administrative personnel or refusing to leave public property, violations, when – Penalty