Even if the purpose of your study doesn’t include these topics, if your study puts you in a position to work directly with students, you may learn about abusive situations, suicidal intentions, and/or unsafe or illegal behaviors. If you learn of a reportable incident, in addition to appropriately reporting the incident to the correct authorities, you should check with our office to determine if you need to submit an Unanticipated Adverse Event Report.
Reporting Child Abuse
This section specifically summarizes reporting regulations for public schools; for a more complete discussion, please see Child Abuse.
Who should report?
Researchers are required to report child abuse. In addition, any teacher or other person employed in a public or private school, kindergarten or nursery school is legally required to report child abuse. Beyond legal obligations, please consider your ethical obligation to protect your participants and protect children in general.
How do I report?
Each school district is responsible for developing protocol for reporting child abuse, so you should talk to the principal or school administrator about their policies. Albemarle County School District, for example, requires that the principal be notified about the incident. The principal will then contact the appropriate institutions, such as the Department of Social Services.
Reporting Suicide Threats
This section specifically summarizes reporting regulations for public schools; for a more complete discussion, please see Suicide Threat.
Who should report?
If you are licensed as administrative or instructional personnel by the Board of Education and employed by a local school board, you are legally responsible to report suicidal intentions. Not all education researchers will fit the legal requirements for reporting suicidal intentions. However, as a researcher you are under ethical obligation to act in the best interest of your participants. If you are unsure as to the best course of action, take immediate action to consult with an appropriate school administrator or with the student's teacher.
If the nature of your study is such that participants are more likely to report suicidal intentions, you will be required to explain in your protocol how you will handle such a situation. Please note that some survey instruments ask about suicidal intentions, such as the BDI-II.
How do I report?
Each school division is required to have resources for the treatment of their students. Contact a school administrator immediately and refer them to the situation. The school will have a licensed mental health professional who is qualified to assess and provide appropriate crisis intervention for the student.
For more information about reporting requirements, the Virginia Board of Education published Suicide Prevention Guidelines: 22.71-272.1 Code of Virginia which outlines the legal reporting requirements, defines criteria for assessing suicidal intentions, and provides case examples.
Reporting Unsafe or Illegal Behaviors
This section specifically summarizes reporting regulations for public schools; for a more complete discussion, please see Specific and Immediate Threats.
Who should report?
Schools are obligated to provide an atmosphere that is “free of disruption and threats to person or property and supportive of individual rights” (Virginia Code of Law, Sections 22.1-253. 13:7.D. 3). As a guest in a school, the Board asks that you support the school’s objective by reporting incidents that may inhibit the learning environment and provide potential harm to the students.
How do I report? If you have questions regarding what should be reported, council with the principal regarding the situation. The principal will be able to assess the incident and determine the course of action. Under the Code of Virginia, the principal is provided with specific incidents that must be reported to a legal authority, such as assault, drug or alcohol use, theft, threats against school personnel, carrying a firearm, illegal conduct with an explosive device, bomb threats or false bomb threats, etc., if they occur on school property, on a school bus, or at a school related activity. Beyond legal infractions, a student may be a victim of bullying or may be a bully, for example, and it may be necessary to discuss the situation with the principal to alleviate the situation. The school will have guidelines regarding how and when parents are contacted and what action will take place.
For more information about threats and harm to others, please refer to the Virginia Board of Education’s Student Conduct Policy Guidelines: 22.71-272.1.