In Our View: Audit Teaches Lesson

A report from the state auditor’s office should be viewed as a teachable moment for Clark County Juvenile Court and school districts in the area. It also should be viewed as a call for the Legislature to reduce risks to student safety and the possibility of lawsuits targeting a district.

State law requires juvenile courts to notify school officials when a student is convicted, adjudicated or enters into a diversion program after committing any of more than 330 offenses. The goal is to alert schools so they may provide necessary assistance for a returning student and so administrators can be aware of any potential problems.

But the auditor’s report found that Clark County Juvenile Court officials were able to confirm notification in only 29 percent of cases. In another 18 percent, notification might have been sent but could not be verified. Statewide, audited courts provided confirmation for 51 percent of notices, while notice might have been provided in another 29 percent of cases.

While the law requires that notice be provided, it fails to provide specifics for how that should be provided. That means notification might range from the sending of a letter to a comment made to a school resource officer. As the auditor’s report reads, “An automated system would bring consistency across notification processes, limit the potential for human error, provide verification of receipt, allow for monitoring of completeness and accuracy, and provide information to appropriate staff on a need-to-know basis.”

Gail Spolar, spokeswoman for the Evergreen district, told The Columbian: “Evergreen Public Schools finds that in practice, the Juvenile Court does far better than the report would seem to suggest. As a long-standing practice, the Juvenile Court probation staff and staff at the secondary schools have a collegial, collaborative relationship.”

We trust that Evergreen and other districts in Clark County will make necessary changes, recognizing that collegial relationships fall short of the necessary precautions. The truth is that some high school students run afoul of the law, and most of those students eventually return to school. When that is the case, the safety of fellow students must be of paramount concern.

In addition to administrators being aware of potentially troublesome students, knowledge of a student’s past is crucial to helping the student navigate a return to the classroom. Trish Pilado of Vancouver Public Schools said: “It’s important for us to know, and not just because we want to be leery of a kid. We want them to be successful. If we know they’re coming, we can set up a good plan for them.”

The issue also brings up questions about which students should be allowed to return to school. In 2012, a Prairie High School student who was a registered sex offender pleaded guilty to rape of a 14-year-old student. Staff members at the school were aware of the student’s record, but privacy laws prevent officials from releasing information about a criminal record. While we favor giving offenders a second chance if they have served their punishment, violent criminals should be directed to special programs rather than attend a comprehensive high school.

For students who have committed lesser offenses, a fresh start can be a life-changing opportunity. But in order for them to make the most of that opportunity, it is essential that the courts and school districts learn to improve their communication.