The Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Office is questioning a Jordan School District policy which allows teachers to investigate allegations of child abuse on their own before reporting to the police. The policy is in question after the conviction of teacher Frank Hall, on 11 counts of abusing students. City Weekly asked real-estate broker Andrew Pratt if the policy needs changing:
[The District policy] puts a law-enforcement role in civilian hands, [which] is a little tricky. Also, [school staff] are probably close to the teacher [they investigate] so they’re going to give the teacher, I think, the benefit of the doubt. So, who runs the greater risk? The child who gets abused or the teacher who is wrongly accused? I think the school policy should mirror state policy.