Dealing with Misbehavior

When an employee or student is suspected, arrested, or charged with a crime, as a school owner you should:

• Gather all the facts before making a decision. Determine as much as you can about the reason for the arrest, potential charges, circumstances involved, and what the immediate future looks like for the person and for the school.
• Consider all your options. For example, you could grant the person a leave of absence while they deal with their legal issues or move the person to a less public position pending the final outcome of the situation. Even without a clear school policy dealing with such a situation, if an employee does not call in advance to report an absence, he or she could be terminated for cause, as a no-show no-call. Your absentee policy could also cover termination for unapproved absences, such as incarceration.
• Be sure to maintain the privacy of the person.
• Be sensitive to the concerns and needs of your other students and employees.