New bill aims to tighten child predator reporting guidelines in Arizona schools

PHOENIX — If passed, a new bill would improve the way Arizona schools report child abuse, according to lawmakers and legal leaders who gathered at the Arizona Capitol on Wednesday.

The procedures are in dire need of changing, according to state Sen. Carine Werner, a Republican who represents Scottsdale’s fourth legislative district.

“Child predators are flying under the radar in our K-12 school districts,” Werner said.

The Republican, who serves as a governing board member for Scottsdale Unified School District 48, said many schools are failing to hold pedophiles accountable, which further victimizes students.

“Senate Bill 1437 was inspired by the numerous disturbing cases that have come to light during my service as a governing board member: inappropriate touching of students, educators requesting nudes through Snapchat, teachers having sex with teens they’re responsible for educating,” Werner said.

How would new child abuse bill help students in Arizona schools?

The bill would make several modifications to Arizona’s current law, including:

• Expanding whistleblower protections for school personnel who report child abuse allegations.
• Making substitute teachers and school board members required to report child abuse cases.
• Requiring school administrators to report abuse allegations to law enforcement agencies.
• Requiring that victims of abuse be interviewed by forensic interviewers.

Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell said these requirements are necessary to better protect children.

“The way it stands right now, we at the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office are learning of cases where a child will report the abuse to a school personnel and the administrator or someone else at the school will interview the child … and, in some cases they will report the allegations to the school resource officer, but it will end there,” Mitchell said.

This shouldn’t be happening, she said. The bill would ensure children speak to trained professionals about their abuse, rather than school administrators, teachers, counselors or school resource officers, who may not be equipped to properly handle traumatic situations.

“We’ve had cases go nowhere because the school improperly handles the initial report,” Mitchell said. “A school official who does not follow the child abuse protocol could be the difference and has been the difference in between achieving justice for the victim or the offender not being held accountable at all.”

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