Mehlville Enacts Sexual Misconduct Disclosure Policy

The Mehlville school board passed new policies at their meeting Thursday in relation to what the district can disclose about employees that have been accused of sexual misconduct with a student. 

The board passed the policies 6-1; board member Ron Fedorchak was opposed.

The policies are a requirement of Senate Bill 54, sponsored by Sen. Jane Cunningham (R-Chesterfield). Six policies were written, but district officials shared concerns about the vagueness of the law at the May 17 board meeting.

"The sticking point is if someone is alleged to have committed some sort of sexual crime, even if they're found innocent, you're still required to disclose that according to Senate Bill 54," said former-Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources Vicki VanLaere said in May.

Knost said the interpretation has changed, making him more comfortable with the policies.

In a job reference to another district, the school district must disclose if allegations of sexual misconduct resulted in a termination or resignation.

The bill reads, “A school district that has employed a person for whom there was a finding of substantiated from a Children's Division investigation must disclose the finding of substantiated to any other public school that contacts it for a reference.”

The policies effect only employees that have been accused of inappropriate contact with a student in the district and if investigations led to a recommendation of termination or resignation. Unsubstantiated claims are not included.

Knost said the principle behind it was to keep employees from fleeing their current workplace and then getting a job somewhere else.

The law only applies to public schools and does not include a grandfather clause, something board member Ron Fedorchak disagreed with.

Larry Felton said the district’s policy was in line with what most other schools were doing according to the Missouri School Boards Association.

Assistant Superintended Lisa Counts said starting July 1, all employees that leave the district will sign a form saying they will hold the district harmless for any information that is disclosed.

“That on the front end protects us as well when we have to go give references later down the road,” Counts said. “All public school districts are going to be held to the same standards.”

The board approved the revisions as they were presented on a first read in May, despite the original concerns over liability.

“There were some things clarified about the requirements of the Senate Bill and we’re more comfortable with it. Our attorney thinks it’s appropriate,” Knost said. “It sounded to us like if anyone remotely utters some kind of a vague allegation, regardless of truth or investigation, that needed to be reported. That’s dangerous in any setting.”

The superintendent said he was now very comfortable with the policies, which had to be passed by July 1.

The policies (GBLB, GCPB, GCPE, GCPF, GDPB and GDPD) can be read in full on the district's website.