CARMEL- Relationships between students and staff will be ethical, professional, conducive to learning, and free of bias and behaviors that could lead to any appearance of impropriety in the Carmel School District following a Board of Education policy adopted by the seven-member board that prohibits fraternization.
By a vote of 6-1 last week with Trustee Jordi Douglas voting against, trustees stated: “Inappropriate grooming or dating, flirting, inappropriate gifting, and frequent personal communication with students via phone or text, email, or paper that are unrelated to coursework or official school matters are in violation of the policy. As would isolating students for inappropriate or unprofessional matters; providing or partaking in alcohol, drugs or tobacco use with students; socializing with students excessively, to the point that such conduct creates the impression that there is favoritism; and behaving in a pattern that suggests an inappropriate adult-student relationship.”
While school board President Melissa Orser and her colleagues described the policy as “good,” Trustee Douglas took issue with the portion of the policy that concerns communication with students which states that no staff member should contact a student between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m.
Douglas, who teaches in the neighboring Brewster District, said he often replies to his students via email after 10 p.m. citing attendance at meetings or family obligations.
Orser suggested modifying the times to prohibit communication between midnight and 5 a.m. stating: “There really is no reason for a teacher to be talking to any student, between midnight and 5 a.m.”