The relationship between staff and students should be one of cooperation, understanding and mutual respect. The staff has the responsibility to provide an atmosphere conducive to learning and to motivate each student to perform to his or her capacity. The staff is expected to model the behavior expected of students in staff-student relationships.

All employees are prohibited from dating, courting or entering into a romantic or sexual relationship with any student enrolled in the school system regardless of the student's age. Employees engaging in such inappropriate conduct will be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal, and may be subject to criminal action as provided in G.S. 14-202.4 and 14-27.7.

Any employee who has reason to believe that another employee is inappropriately involved with a student, as described above, is required to report this information to the superintendent. An employee who fails to inform the superintendent of a suspected inappropriate relationship between an employee and a student may be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal.

For the purposes of this policy, the term “employees” includes independent contractors and school safety officers but does not include student employees.