An Administrator's Guide to California Private School Law

Chapter 12 - Investigations

After identifying the relevant conditions, facts, and witnesses, the investigator will be in a better position to develop a preliminary list of questions and to identify potential witnesses to interview. Possible witnesses may include:  The complainant;  The alleged wrongdoer;  Bystanders; and  Individuals to whom the complainant might have talked to about the alleged harassment. The investigator should keep a list of witnesses in the binder. The investigator should add witnesses to that list to keep it current as additional witnesses are identified throughout the investigation. We recommend that the binder include a tab for each witness. The list of questions should include who, what, why, where, when, how, and anything else relevant to each alleged incident. Assuming the complainant in the example above went to dinner with her supervisor, the investigator should ask the complainant:  Who initiated the topic of going to dinner and what was said?  Did you accept the dinner invitation?  Why did you accept the dinner invitation?  When did you go to dinner?

 Where did you go for dinner and who suggested it?  Who went to dinner? Was anyone else present?  What were you each wearing at dinner?  How long were you at dinner?  What happened at dinner? What did you talk about?  Tell me everything that was said at dinner?  How did you feel at dinner?  Did the supervisor do anything to offend or intimidate you at dinner?  Did the supervisor say anything to make you uncomfortable?  Whom have you told about the dinner?  Who paid for dinner?  Is there anything else that offended, intimidated, or made you uncomfortable at dinner?  Have you had dinner with your supervisor before? Since?

An Administrator’s Guide to California Private School Law ©2019 Liebert Cassidy Whitmore 450