Justice 4 All: What Florida law says about teacher-student relationships

Several local teachers and school administrators have faced criminal charges in recent months, raising questions about what the law actually says about teacher-student relationships. Jacksonville attorney Millicent Daniels with The Daniels Law Firm joined us on The Morning Show to explain the legal boundaries — and the consequences for crossing them.Mandatory reporting: Why a principal was arrestedAmong the recent cases was the arrest of Baldwin Middle Senior High School Principal Michael Townsend, who was accused of failing to report alleged inappropriate behavior between a teacher and a student. The case drew attention because the principal was charged not for his own conduct, but for failing to act on someone else’s.Daniels says that distinction matters under Florida law.“School employees here in Florida are considered mandatory reporters,” Daniels said. “That means that they are charged with having to report suspected child abuse, sexual abuse, abandonment, neglect, as long as they