Midland parents concerned over sex offender law changes and impact on schools - ABC 12 News
MIDLAND, Mich. (WJRT) - Changes in the Michigan Sex Offender Registry have some parents concerned, as people on the registry have fewer restrictions around schools.
Parents who have children that attend Plymouth Elementary in Midland are concerned after finding out someone on the sex offender registry is allowed inside and near the school building.
The state’s new law eliminated the 1,000-foot school safety zones.
The school district has a policy in place for parents who are on the sex offender registry but some parents say that policy is not good enough.
“I have four children who attend Plymouth,” says Will Zablocki of Midland.
Zablocki says he and other parents of children who attend the elementary school recently found out a man, who has sole custodial rights to a child and is on the state’s sex offender registry, has been picking up the child in his car after school.
“He can be taking pictures of the kids, who knows what he is doing in the parking lot,” says Shelby Huntley.
She has a daughter at the school and says the man was able to attend a recent parent-teacher conference inside the building.
“Parent teacher conferences, nobody walked him into the class, nobody walked him out, and kids were running all over the building after school still during conferences,” says Huntley.
The man was sentenced to six months in jail in 2018 and completed three years of probation earlier this year for two charges of possession of child sexually abusive material.
Midland Schools Superintendent Michael Sharrow says the new law allows for sex offenders to enter school buildings, but the school’s own policy has restrictions, including that person must have prior permission to be at the school and is escorted on school grounds by the principal, and must leave the premises immediately after any event.
Zablocki and Huntley wonder if the school district can monitor registered sex offenders effectively.
“I would contend that the school doesn’t have the capability and the ability to enforce that,” says Zablocki.
“They can change their policies, but they certainly don’t want to,” says Huntley.
Sharrow says the school policy is driven by law and school attorneys, who advise on any changes.
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source: https://www.abc12.com/2021/11/18/midland-parents-concerned-over-sex-offender-law-changes-impact-schools/
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