Gov. Kevin Stitt on May 13 signed into law a bill that requires school personnel engaging in electronic or digital communication with a student to include the student’s parent or guardians.

“There have been absolutely too many reports of inappropriate digital communications shared between educators and students, whether that be inappropriate pictures or texts of a sexual nature,” said Rep. Sherrie Conley, R-Newcastle, who authored House Bill 3958.

“These have longterm devastating effects for young people and can ruin the lives of educators when they are wrongly accused. It’s our desire that teachers and coaches be able to share homework assignments or team communications freely with their students, but including a parent or guardian protects the students and the educators from any potential impropriety. This also keeps parents fully engaged in their child’s education.”

Exceptions may be made in case of an emergency, subject to subsequent notification to the parent or guardian.

The measure stipulates that school personnel shall make reasonable efforts to use schoolapproved platforms, systems or applications that allow automatic inclusion of parents or guardians in communications with students.

HB3958 specifies that schools shall provide training, developed by the Oklahoma State Department of Education, for school personnel on the student communication requirements within the act.

Any school personnel reported to be in violation of the new act shall be put on administrative leave while the school district investigates the incident and notifies the local and state boards of education.

If the investigation finds no misconduct occurred, the school personnel shall be reinstated with the incident noted in the employee’s file.

If the investigation finds misconduct occurred, the school personnel’s employment shall be terminated, and the incident shall be reported to law enforcement pursuant to state statute.

The act became effective July 1.