Board OKs policy that bans sex offenders from school grounds

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NAUGATUCK — After further legal review, the Board of Education this month unanimously approved a policy that bans sex offenders from school grounds, with a few exceptions.

Under the policy, registered sex offenders would only be allowed on school property to attend a public meeting and to vote. Parents or guardians who are registered sex offenders would be allowed to transport their children to and from school and attend a conference about their child with consent from the superintendent.

If a student is a registered sex offender, the superintendent will determine where and how to educate the student, the policy states. The superintendent will contact police if someone violates the policy.

The board first raised the policy, which comes from the Connecticut Association of Boards of Education (CABE) and is on its list of recommended policies, in December. The board tabled action on the policy at its January meeting at the request of Mayor N. Warren “Pete” Hess so the borough’s legal counsel could review the issue and policy further.

“We did receive a favorable legal review,” Hess said during the board’s Feb. 13 meeting.

As of last week, there were 37 registered sex offenders with Naugatuck addresses, according to the state sex offender registry.