Savannah-Chatham schools among 20 districts under federal investigation for sexual misconduct reporting

SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) - Savannah-Chatham County Public Schools is one of 20 school districts nationwide now under federal investigation over how it handles reports of staff-on-student sexual misconduct.

The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights launched the initiative targeting districts whose own data suggests they may not be properly handling those reports. Click here to learn more about this initiative.

What investigators will examine

Investigators will look at whether the district has the appropriate policies in place and whether it is accurately reporting incidents to the federal government.

District response

The school district released a statement saying it intends to cooperate with the investigation.

“We are aware of the investigation and the District intends to fully cooperate with the Office of Civil Rights. The Savannah-Chatham County Public School System (SCCPSS) is committed to protecting its students and treats all allegations of sexual misconduct and harassment very seriously,” responded the district. “We work daily to offer a welcoming school environment that is conducive to teaching and learning. SCCPSS maintains procedures that are designed to keep students safe including the removal of staff from student facing positions when there are allegations of misconduct.”