JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Months after former Douglas Anderson teacher Jeffrey Clayton was sentenced to a decade behind bars for crimes against students, a new bill is taking a look at the process of notification.
State Senator Clay Yarborough, who represents Nassau County and parts of Duval County, has been outspoken about needing answers from the school district regarding the arrest of an employee and parent notification, filed SB 1374, which details proposed changes on:
- Removing instructional personnel
- Requirements for law enforcement to notify
- Requirements to self-report “certain arrests or judgments”
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Yarborough had previously shared a letter with the then-acting superintendent in April, which said, “The fact that the district was aware of this and allowed the teacher to remain in direct proximity with students and chose not to notify parents until last week is beyond comprehension.”
His proposed legislation provides an expected timeline and guidelines should an employee get arrested.
If passed, school boards are to adopt a policy that would temporarily remove instructional personnel from the classroom within 24 hours of being told by the employee or law enforcement that they were arrested for a felony or select misdemeanors.
It also would give law enforcement 48 hours to tell the school district about an arrest. Within a day of that notification, the school would be asked to tell the parents of students who had direct contact with the employee and include, at a minimum, the name and specific charges against the employee.
Additionally, any instructional or administrative personnel would have 48 hours to self-report an arrest to the school district and provide updates on any conviction or pleas for anything criminal other than a minor traffic violation.
A House companion bill has also been filed, and if these bills pass, it would take effect in July of this year.
Florida’s legislative session starts on Tuesday.