(a)Definitions. —The following words, terms and phrases, when used in this section, shall have the meaning ascribed to them except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning:
(1) “Crime” includes a felony, misdemeanor or violation defined in the Delaware Code, as well as behavior by a person under 18 years of age which would be considered a felony, misdemeanor or violation if it had been committed by an adult.
(2) “Non-instructional designee” means a school employee whose primary job duty does not include teaching students.
(3) “Notification” means direct contact by telephone, facsimile, electronic mail, Department of Education electronic filings, in person, or by certified mail, unless otherwise designated.
(4) “Parent” includes natural parent, adoptive parent, or any person, agency, or institution that has temporary or permanent custody or guardianship over a student.
(5) “Parent conference” includes a meeting by telephone or in person, unless otherwise designated.
(6) “Principal” means the building principal, or the equivalent of the building principal, of any public school or charter school, or the building principal’s designee.
(7) “School employee” includes all persons hired by a school district, attendance zone or charter school; subcontractors such as bus drivers or security guards; substitute employees; and persons hired by or subcontracted by other state agencies to work on school property.
(8) “School function” includes any field trip or any officially sponsored public or charter school event.
(9) “School property” means any building, structure, athletic field, sports stadium or real property that is owned, operated, leased or rented by any public school district or charter school including, but not limited to, any kindergarten, elementary, secondary, or vocational-technical school or charter school, or any motor vehicle owned, operated, leased, rented or subcontracted by any public school or charter school.
(10) “School volunteer” means a person 18 years of age or older who, without compensation, renders service to a public or charter school. “School volunteer” includes parents who assist in school activities or chaperone school functions.
(11) “Superintendent” means the superintendent of any public school district or charter school, or the equivalent of a superintendent, or the superintendent’s designee.
(12) “Suspension” means either an external or an internal removal of a student from the general school population.
(13) “Violent felony” means a crime designated in § 4201(c) of Title 11.
(14) “Written report” includes printed paper filings and electronic filings that can be printed.
(b)Criminal violation; mandatory reports. —(1) Whenever a school employee has reliable information that would lead a reasonable person to believe that:
a. A student, school volunteer, or a school employee, has been the victim of:
1. A violent felony,
2. An assault III, or
3. An unlawful sexual contact III,
which occurred on school property or at a school function; or
b. A student has been the victim of:
1. A violent felony
2. An assault III, or
3. Any sexual offense, as defined in § 761(i) of Title 11,
and the offense was committed by another school employee regardless of whether the offense occurred on school property or at a school function; then the school employee who has reliable information that would lead a reasonable person to believe that a crime has been committed shall immediately report the incident to the principal.
(2) The principal must immediately make reasonable efforts to notify the parents of any juvenile victim and must send written notification of the incident to the parents within 3 business days. This paragraph does not apply if the parent is alleged to be the offender.
(3) The principal shall immediately report the incident to the appropriate police agency. The report shall be made by telephone or in person immediately and shall be followed by a written report of the school’s investigation within 3 business days.
(4) If the police agency determines that probable cause exists to believe that a crime has been committed, or if the principal later learns that a suspect has been arrested for the offense, then the principal must file a written report of the incident to the Department of Education within 5 days.
(5) Nothing in this section shall preclude a school employee who has reliable information that would lead a reasonable person to believe a crime has been committed from reporting the incident to the principal within a reasonable amount of time. In such instances where a report is made, the school officials shall follow the procedure set forth in paragraphs (b)(2) through (6) of this section. Nothing in this section shall abrogate the reporting requirements for child abuse or sexual abuse set forth in § 903 et seq. of Title 16.
(6)Offenders under the age of 12. —When a misdemeanor offense listed in this subsection has allegedly been committed by a child under the age of 12, the principal is not required to notify the appropriate police agency but must file a written report of the incident with the Department of Education within 5 working days. When the alleged offense is a violent felony, the appropriate police agency must be notified by the principal of the incident even when the suspect is under the age of 12.
(7)Sexual harassment. —Whenever a school employee has reliable information that would lead a reasonable person to believe that a student has been the victim of sexual harassment, as defined in Title 11, which occurred on school property or at a school function, the harassment must be reported to the principal, who, immediately after conducting a preliminary investigation to determine if good reason exists to believe that harassment has occurred, must notify the victim’s parent of that determination, if the parent is not alleged to be the offender. The principal is not required to notify the appropriate police agency, but must file a written report with the Department of Education.
(8) Under no circumstances shall any person who has supervisory authority over the principal or any school board member exercise any control of, hinder or delay the lodging of any oral or written report required to be made pursuant to this subsection or the forwarding of such report to the Department of Education or the police. A principal (or acting principal if the principal is absent) may not delegate to or rely upon any other person except an assistant principal to make the immediate report to the police. A person with supervisory authority over the principal or any school board member who has knowledge of an incident which is required to be reported under this section, and who has information that would lead a reasonable person to believe that it has not been reported to the police, has an affirmative duty to report the incident to the police immediately. This includes, but is not limited to, incidents in which a school employee is a possible suspect and when an administrative review is ongoing.
(c)Student possession of weapons and unlawful drugs. —Whenever a school employee has reliable information that would lead a reasonable person to believe that a person on school property or at a school function has on his or her person, concealed in that person’s possessions, or placed elsewhere on school property:
(1) Any controlled substance prohibited by Title 16; or
(2) Any deadly weapon, destructive weapon, dangerous instrument or incendiary or explosive device as prohibited by Title 11,
the school employee shall immediately report the incident to the principal, who shall conduct a thorough investigation. If the investigation verifies that good reason exists to believe that a crime has been committed, the principal shall immediately notify the appropriate police agency of the incident. If the police agency determines that probable cause exists to believe that a crime has been committed, then the principal shall file a written report of the incident with the Department of Education within 5 working days.
(d) School officials who report a crime committed by a child with a disability, as defined by § 3101(2) of this title, shall comply with 20 U.S.C. § 1415(k)(6)(B) by ensuring that copies of the special education and disciplinary records of the child are transmitted for consideration by the appropriate authorities to whom the crime is reported. An agency reporting a crime under this section may transmit copies of the child’s special education and disciplinary records only to the extent that the transmission is permitted by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act [20 U.S.C. § 1232g].
(e)Penalties. —Any school employee who fails to report an incident as required by subsection (b) of this section or subsection (c) of this section shall be guilty of a violation and shall be fined not more than $250 for a first offense and not more than $500 for a subsequent offense. Any person with supervisory authority over the principal or any school board member who exercises any control of, hinders or delays the lodging of any report required to be made pursuant to this subsection or the forwarding of such report to the Department of Education or the police shall be guilty of a class B misdemeanor.
(f)Immunity from civil liability; review of criminal complaint. —(1) Any school employee who in good faith provides information to a police agency, a principal, a superintendent, or to the Department of Education under subsection (b) of this section or subsection (c) of this section shall not be held civilly liable for providing such information.
(2) Prior to lodging any criminal charge against a school employee for providing information pursuant to subsection (b) of this section or subsection (c) of this section to a police agency, a principal, a superintendent, or to the Department of Education, the Attorney General’s office shall be consulted to determine the appropriateness of the charge.
(3) Any report of an actual or suspected crime made by a school employee or principal pursuant to subsection (b) of this section shall be exempt from public disclosure pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act as set forth in Chapter 100 of Title 29.
(g)Confidential list of young student offenders. —Following the start of each school year, the Department of Education shall, upon request, provide to the principal of any school a list of the students enrolled in that school for the coming year who committed offenses during the previous year which were reported to the Department of Education pursuant to this section. The list shall remain confidential and shall be used by the principal only for the purpose of identifying students who may be in need of beneficial programs such as mentoring.
(h) A copy of any report required by this section to go to a principal shall be immediately submitted to the superintendent by the principal.
(i) If any report required by this section alleges any wrongdoing involving the principal, the report shall be given to the superintendent and the duties required of the principal by this section shall be the duties of the superintendent.