I just read it goes into effect Oct 1st this year. Alabama teachers are required to report to DHR if a child smells of marijuana. This will be considered a child abuse case and open a DHR investigation. I don’t agree with this as in the teachers need to teach and not deal with outside the classroom issues.I remember years ago a late buddy of mine and his wife getting called into Oneonta school and they surprised them with DHR. Their son at the time was around 8 maybe. He was playing pee wee football and was all boy, aggressive and lived sports. All it simply was football bruising. But this teacher had reported it as child abuse. Now what if a kid is smoking weed prior to entering the school building and parents have no idea. Are they going to be arrested for child abuse? A teacher needs to teaching not doing social work in my opinion.
Understand that teachers are Mandatory Reporters. In other words, if they don't report something what may be abuse, they are guilty of a criminal offense. They can get that monkey off their back by reporting it to the Principal, who is then required to report it to either LE or DHR. If it is reported to LE, then they are required to report it to DHR and vice versa, DHR to LE. There is a lot of effort to try to make sure no child falls through the cracks. This can be an inconvenience to teachers and parents at times, but the intentions are good.
