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Appendix K: Public Complaint Policy

A child's drawing of a green moose with brown antlers and the initials J.R.B.

Appendix K


 PUBLIC COMPLAINT POLICY


The Committee believes that complaints are best handled informally and resolved as close to their origin as possible, and that the professional staff should be given every opportunity to consider the issues and attempt to resolve the problem prior to involvement by higher levels of administration or the Committee.

Anonymous complaints will be disregarded.

Complaints should go first to the person most directly involved with the substance of the complaint. He/she will listen courteously and will try to resolve the difficulty by explaining the background and/or educational purpose involved. If the complainant remains unsatisfied, the employee will refer the complainant to the building Principal or other immediate supervisor to have his/her views considered further. Whether the complaint terminates with the individual staff member involved or seems likely to go further, the staff member will immediately inform his/her supervisor of the complaint.
 
Complaints referred directly to the Superintendent and/or School Committee must be in writing and should be specific in terms of the action desired. Such complaints will be referred through proper administrative channels for resolution before investigation or action by the Superintendent and/or Committee. Exceptions will be made when the complaint concerns Superintendent or Committee actions or operations.
 
If it appears necessary, the administration, the person who made the complaint, or the employee involved may request an executive session of the Committee for a formal hearing and decision. Statutory restrictions on executive sessions will be observed.
 
The Committee expects all complaints to be respectfully acknowledged at each level of discussion, including a summary of resolution or next steps. Deliberations rising to the level of Superintendent and/or School Committee require that a report of the final disposition be made to the Committee and then be placed in official files.

The proper channeling of complaints involving instruction, discipline or learning materials will be as follows:

  1. Staff Member
  2. School building administrator (Principal, Vice Principal)
  3. Superintendent
  4. School Committee

Complaints about school personnel will be investigated fully and fairly. The following procedures are established if the complaint is a criticism of a particular school employee that includes, or implies, a demand for action by school authorities.

  1. If a complaint comes first to the Principal or other supervisor of the person criticized, he/she should listen courteously or acknowledge a letter/e-mail promptly and politely, but should make no commitments, admissions of guilt, or threats. When complaints involve a particular employee, the supervisor will schedule a conference between the complainant and the person criticized and should inform that employee immediately of the complaint.
    If the complainant has already met with the person criticized and remains unsatisfied, the supervisor should invite the complainant to file his/her complaint in writing and offer to send him/her the appropriate form regarding a school employee's behavior, character or qualifications.  The Principal will document all complaints and report them periodically to the Superintendent.
  2. If a complaint comes first to any other school employee, that employee will refer the complainant to the person criticized or his immediate supervisor and immediately inform both.
  3. If no written complaint has been filed the complainant may be requested to submit the complaint in writing pending further action.
  4. The Principal or other supervisor will schedule a conference with himself/herself, the complainant, the person criticized, and if advisable, the department chairman or other personnel that either the supervisor or the person criticized feels could contribute to the resolution of the problem.
  5. If the complainant is not satisfied with the results of the conference above, he/she should then be referred to the Superintendent, who may handle the complaint personally or refer it to other personnel, as he/she may see fit. Note: at this level the complaint must be formally documented.
  6. Should dissatisfaction remain after the above steps have been taken, the matter will be placed on the agenda for the next regularly scheduled Committee meeting. The decision of the Committee will be communicated in writing to all interested persons.

The School Committee may consider the matter in Executive Session subject to Open Meeting and Meeting Posting law requirements.
 
SOURCE: MASC
LEGAL REFS.: MG.L. 76:5
603 CMR 26.00
First Reading: 5/27/14 Second Reading: 6/10/14 ADOPTED: 6/24/14