In accordance with Board Policy 4630, Item 8, staff members are required to communicate with students in a professional and respectful manner. Item 8 applies to all communications, including but not limited to the use of electronic media. Policy 4630, Item 9, further provides that employees are required to maintain relationships with students in a professional teacher- student model. Item 9 applies to all relationships between staff and students, including but not limited to the use of electronic media. By virtue of this policy pertaining to Communications with Students by Electronic Media, the requirements of Policy 4630, Items 8 and 9 are explicitly made applicable to all employees of the District. All school employees are required to communicate with students in a professional and respectful manner and are required to maintain professional relationships with students.

Additionally, Board Policy and Regulation 4810, Sexual Harassment, and Board Policy and Regulation 2130, Nondiscrimination and Student Rights, explicitly prohibit communications between District employees and students that constitute discrimination, harassment, and/or retaliation on the basis of a protected categories or activities. Each of these policies and regulations provides, as examples, non-exhaustive lists of oral and nonverbal communications that are prohibited when communicating in any manner with students. School employees may not engage in any communication, whether by electronic media or other means that would violate Board Policy and Regulation 4810 and/or Board Policy and Regulation 2130.

Board Policy and Regulation 6320, Library, Media, and Technology Services, further requires all employees to conform to the District’s Acceptable Use Policy when using the District’s technology resources to communicate with students and others. The Acceptable Use Policy prohibits the use of the District’s technology resources in a manner that would violate the Board policies and regulations specifically referenced in this policy or that would otherwise violate Board policy and regulation. Policy and Regulation 6320 further provide that employees who violate the Acceptable Use Policy may be disciplined up to and including termination.

Accordingly, all employees are strictly prohibited from using District technology to communicate with students in a manner that is contrary to Policy and Regulation 6320, including but not limited to, the Acceptable Use Policy.

Furthermore, Missouri statutory and case law provides that teachers and other contracted employees may be terminated during the term of the employee’s contract for behavior that would constitute immoral conduct as defined by Missouri law.  Such conduct includes, but is not limited to, communicating with students for the purpose of promoting, engaging in, and/or attempting to conceal a sexual relationship between the employee and a student; promoting, engaging in, and/or attempting to conceal illegal conduct involving a student; and/or promoting, engaging in, and/or attempting to conceal other conduct prohibited by civil or criminal law, and/or Board policy or regulation. Accordingly, all employees are prohibited from communicating with students, whether by electronic or other means, in a manner that constitutes immoral conduct as defined by law under the Missouri Teacher Tenure Act.

Employees who engage in communications prohibited by this policy, regardless whether such communications occur during or outside the school day or school activities, will be subject to discipline, up to and including termination, in accordance with any procedures that may be prescribed by law for the employee’s position.