Faith's Law

What is Faith’s Law?

Faith's Law is a significant piece of legislation aimed at safeguarding students within the Illinois education system. Enacted to ensure a safe and supportive environment for all students, Faith's Law addresses issues related to sexual misconduct and outlines clear guidelines for schools to follow when handling allegations of such misconduct.

Faith’s Law is named after prevention advocate and child sexual abuse survivor Faith Colson, who graduated from an Illinois high school in the early 2000s.

Faith’s Law was passed by the 102nd General Assembly as two separate pieces of legislation that addressed sexual abuse response and prevention. The first legislation, Public Act 102-0676, took effect on December 3, 2021, and, for the first time, established the definition of sexual misconduct within the School Code. The second legislation, Public Act 102-0702, took effect on July 1, 2023. It focuses on the prevention of “sexual misconduct” as defined in the first part of the legislation (Public Act 102-0676) by school employees, substitute employees, and employees of contractors.

The ultimate goals of Public Act 102-0702 are to give parents/guardians notice regarding allegations of sexual misconduct that involve their student; equip schools across Illinois with better information regarding the employment history of an applicant or employee of a contractor; give schools the resources necessary to make well-informed decisions about who they are employing/contracting with; and protect students from acts of sexual misconduct by school employees, substitute employees, and employees of contractors.

Key Aspects of Faith's Law

Key aspects of Faith's Law include:

(1) Definition of Sexual Misconduct:

The law establishes a clear and comprehensive definition of sexual misconduct within the School Code. This definition serves as a foundation for addressing and preventing such incidents within Illinois schools.

(2) School Requirements:

Faith's Law outlines specific requirements for schools, emphasizing their responsibility to create and maintain a safe and inclusive learning environment. Schools are expected to develop and post policies and procedures that address sexual misconduct, ensuring that students are aware of their rights and available resources.

(3) Support for Victims:

The law places a strong emphasis on supporting victims of sexual misconduct. Schools are mandated to provide resources and assistance to students who have experienced such incidents, ensuring their well-being and access to the help they need.

(4) Reporting and Investigation:

Faith's Law provides guidelines for reporting and investigating allegations of sexual misconduct. Schools must follow these procedures carefully, ensuring a fair and thorough process while protecting the rights and privacy of all parties involved.

(5) Transparency and Accountability:

Transparency is a core principle of Faith's Law. Schools are required to maintain open and transparent communication with students, parents, and guardians regarding policies, procedures, and the handling of sexual misconduct cases. This promotes accountability and trust within the education system.

Faith's Law is a critical step towards creating a safer and more secure learning environment for students in Illinois. By setting clear standards and expectations for schools, it aims to prevent sexual misconduct and provide support to those affected by it.

Expectations for ALL Westchester SD 92½ Employees

Expectations for Teachers and Staff

All Westchester SD 92 ½ Employees are expected to maintain high standards in their school relationships, to demonstrate integrity and honesty, to be considerate and cooperative, and to maintain professional and appropriate relationships with students, parents, staff members, and others. In addition, the Code of Ethics for Illinois Educators, adopted by the Illinois State Board of Education, is incorporated by reference into this policy. Any employee who sexually harasses a student, willfully or negligently fails to report an instance of suspected child abuse or neglect as required by the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act (325 ILCS 5/), engages in grooming as defined in 720 ILCS 5/11-25, engages in grooming behaviors, violates boundaries for appropriate school employee-student conduct, or otherwise violates an employee conduct standard will be subject to discipline up to and including dismissal.

The Superintendent or designee shall identify appropriate employee conduct standards and provide them to all District employees. Standards related to school employee-student conduct shall, at a minimum:

(1)

Incorporate the prohibitions noted in paragraph 1 of this policy;

(2)

Define prohibited grooming behaviors to include, at a minimum, sexual misconduct. Sexual misconduct is (i) any act, including but not limited to, any verbal, nonverbal, written, or electronic communication or physical activity, (ii) by an employee with direct contact with a student, (iii) that is directed toward or with a student to establish a romantic or sexual relationship with the student. Examples include, but are not limited to:

A sexual or romantic invitation
Dating or soliciting a date
Engaging in sexualized or romantic dialog
Making sexually suggestive comments that are directed toward or with a student
Self-disclosure or physical exposure of a sexual, romantic, or erotic nature
A sexual, indecent, romantic, or erotic contact with the student

(3)

Identify expectations for employees to maintain professional relationships with students, including expectations for employee-student boundaries based upon students’ ages, grade levels, and developmental levels. Such expectations shall establish guidelines for specific areas, including but not limited to:

Transporting a student
Taking or possessing a photo or video of a student
Meeting with a student or contacting a student outside the employee’s professional role

Westchester SD 92½ Employee Code of Professional Conduct Policy

Westchester SD 92 ½ Employee Code of Professional Conduct Policy

In compliance with Faith’s Law, Westchester School District 92 ½ has developed and implemented an employee code of professional conduct policy. Please click here to see the policy in its entirety:

5:120 Employee Ethics; Conduct; and Conflict of Interest.

Cross-references within our Board Policy Manual include:

2-265 - Title IX Sexual Harassment Grievance Procedure

4-165 - Awareness and Prevention of Child Sexual Abuse and Grooming Behaviors

5-100 - Staff Development Program

5-125 - Personal Technology and Social Media; Usage and Conduct

5-90 - Abused and Neglected Child Reporting

7-20 - Harassment of Students Prohibited

Faith’s Law Resource Guide

ISBE has developed and maintains the Faith’s Law Resource Guide that includes guidance for pupils, parents/guardians, and teachers about sexual abuse responses and prevention resources available in their community, including the contact information of entities that provide services for victims of child sexual abuse and their families.

For more detailed information about Faith's Law, you can refer to the Illinois State Board of Education's Faith's Law webpage.