The Ledger by Kimberly C. Moore
August 1, 2019
Officials with Polk County Public Schools are discussing changes to district policy regarding investigations into harassment or discrimination that would include no longer keeping notes or recordings of witness statements, documentary evidence, or any emails, texts or social media posts pertaining to an investigation. In cases involving students, the district is proposing to do away with written witness statements.
BARTOW — Officials with Polk County Public Schools are discussing changes to district policy regarding investigations into harassment or discrimination that would include no longer keeping notes or recordings of witness statements, documentary evidence, or any emails, texts or social media posts pertaining to an investigation. In cases involving students, the district is proposing to do away with written witness statements.
“The way this reads to me, if you interview a witness and you transcribe the interview, instead of keeping that, we’re going to get rid of that?” School Board member Billy Townsend asked PCPS Legislative Affairs Director Wendy Dodge during this week’s school board meeting.
“It reads that way in the student policy, but not in the employee policy,” Dodge said. “All of those say we’ll retain statements.”
