It is the policy of the Seattle School Board that district staff bears the primary responsibility for maintaining proper order and conduct in our schools.  However, there are times when law enforcement, child protective agencies, and the county health department will be called upon to ensure the safety and protection of students or staff.   

Staff will be responsible for holding students accountable for infractions of school or district rules, which may include minor infractions of the law occurring during school hours or at school activities.  When violations of the law are involved, the principal or their designee may refer such matters to the appropriate legal authorities.  Decisions to prosecute rest with the legal authority. 

The district will strive to develop and maintain cooperative working relationships with law enforcement and other government agencies.  The Superintendent or his designee will confer with law enforcement, child protective authorities and health department officials to establish agreed upon procedures.  Such procedures should address child abuse and neglect investigations, criminal investigations, handling bomb threats, arrests by law enforcement officers on school premises, the availability of law enforcement personnel for crowd control purposes, reporting of communicable disease cases and investigations, and other matters that effect school, law enforcement, and other agency cooperation.  Such procedures will be made available to affected staff and periodically revised.   

The Superintendent is authorized to develop procedures to implement this policy.