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expedite the investigation of any claim involving physical <br /> violence or serious threats of harm. <br /> 1 . Any person who makes knowingly false charges or brings a malicious <br /> complaint is subject to disciplinary and/or corrective action. <br /> m. Any right of appeal from a disciplinary decision is governed by <br /> the student handbook, applicable collective bargaining agreements, <br /> and Massachusetts and federal law. <br /> 2 . After reviewing the record made by the principal or EC, the superintendent <br /> or designee has ten business days to gather the evidence necessary to <br /> decide the case, and thereafter impose any sanctions deemed appropriate. <br /> It is understood that in the event a resolution involves disciplinary <br /> action against an employer or a student, the complainant will not be <br /> informed of the disciplinary action unless it directly involves the <br /> complainant (i.e . a directive to "stay away" from the complainant, as <br /> might occur in a harassment complaint) . <br /> 3 . Reporting Sexual Abuse and Other Serious Criminal Conduct <br /> a. General Laws Chapter 119, Section 51A, makes administrators, <br /> teachers, school nurses, guidance counselors and other school <br /> staff members mandated reporters for purposes of reporting child <br /> abuse and neglect to the Department of Children and Families <br /> (DCF) . Under G. L. c. 119, Section 51A, a school staff member who <br /> has reasonable cause to believe that a student under the age of 18 <br /> years is suffering physical, sexual, or emotional abuse, or <br /> neglect, by a parent, guardian, school staff member, or other <br /> caretaker, must immediately report the abuse or neglect either <br /> directly to the DCF or to the person designated by the school to <br /> accept those reports, who, in turn, must promptly report the abuse <br /> to the DCF. ! <br /> b. The principal and/or superintendent will report certain forms <br /> of sexual harassment and conduct (i .e . , unwanted sexual touching <br /> or sexual assault) that may constitute a crime to the local <br /> police. <br /> c. The principal and/or superintendent will report physical injury, <br /> destruction of public property, potential hate crimes, and <br /> other acts of a serious criminal nature to the local police for <br /> criminal investigation. <br /> VII. POLICY DISSEMINATION <br /> 1. The district will post a summary of this policy in school offices <br /> and libraries . <br /> 2 . The district and its schools will incorporate a summary of this <br /> policy in the student handbook. <br /> 3 . The district will ask each student in grades 3-12 and his/her parent <br /> or guardian to provide written confirmation that they read and <br /> understand the student handbook that includes a summary of this <br /> policy, and agree to comply with the Handbook' s provisions. <br /> 34 <br />