Madison teachers could no longer text students under proposed policy
The Madison School Board is considering a policy that would prohibit staff from messaging students outside of district-approved digital platforms and determine when schools must notify parents about allegations of sexual misconduct involving their child.
The school district aims to enact the policy by Sept. 1 to comply with a new state law that requires schools to adopt policies on appropriate communication between staff and students and train staff on how to recognize grooming. The policy would codify procedures related to a separate state law that mandates districts to notify parents or guardians of “credible reports” of misconduct by the end of the day when the report is received.
The policy proposal follows a high-profile case last school year. Prosecutors charged a Memorial High School teacher, Eliav Goldman, with grooming and educator sexual misconduct. Over the course of nine months, Goldman had exchanged over 130,000 messages with a student, according to the criminal complaint.
Although the Madison Metropolitan School District had guidelines discouraging teachers and students from communicating on personal devices prior to the charges, no written policies explicitly prohibit staff from texting or talking with students on personal devices.
A few months before the charges against Goldman, a Cap Times investigation found the district’s policies lackedresearcher-backed recommendations to prevent educator sexual misconduct, including policies limiting communication between students and staff to district-owned devices and accounts. At the time, school district leaders defended their policies as adequate.
