Beyond the Creek

In response to a recent Contra Costa Times article pointing out that the former principal of Joaquin Moraga Intermediate School (and current principal of Los Perales Elementary School) in Moraga failed to report sexual abuse allegations to law enforcement authorities, the superintendent of the Moraga School District, Bruce Burns, sent out the following email:

Recent media coverage of events that occurred in the District more than 15 years ago, provide an opportunity to communicate the Moraga School District current policies and procedures for mandated child abuse reporting and employee fingerprinting. At the outset, we want to assure you that District students are safe and that student safety is of paramount importance to the District. The incidents that occurred in the mid 1990’s, under a different Governing Board and leadership, serve as important reminders of our professional duty and expected professional behavior in working with students.

The District has policies and practices in place to ensure that employees hired and retained by the District meet the District’s high standards. As required by law, the District fingerprints all of its employees before they start work in the District. The District also provides training to all of its employees on mandated child abuse reporting. Fingerprints are submitted to and reviewed by the California Department of Justice and a report is issued to the District detailing any arrests and/or convictions for any fingerprinted employee and job applicant. In addition, if an employee of our District is arrested subsequent to their employment in the District, the District receives notification of the employee’s arrest and the reason for the arrest.

All District employees are required by law to report known or suspected child abuse (i.e. they are “mandated reporters”) and our employees are annually informed of the mandated child abuse reporting requirements. As mandated reporters, District employees are required to complete the Child Abuse Mandated Reporter Training through the California Department of Social Services. This training provides employees with information on how the law defines child abuse and neglect, what the law requires of a mandated reporter, how to spot evidence of child abuse and how to report child abuse. In addition, the District’s policy on mandated reporting is reviewed with employees on an annual basis to ensure that employees are reminded of their mandated child abuse reporting obligations. Finally, in light of recent public sex abuse scandals throughout the country, school sites discussed mandated reporting obligations during staff meetings throughout the school year.

As District Superintendent, I have implemented further training of all District administrators regarding how to handle complaints of employee misconduct. I have worked and will continue to work on enforcing the District’s mandated child abuse reporting requirements and in training staff on this critical issue for our children’s safety.

The District takes sexual abuse very seriously and does not tolerate it. The District encourages anyone who has any information about any type of alleged misconduct by District employees to immediately notify me.

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