On our PTC website we have a link to the FamilyWatchdog web site and encourage parents to use it. Parents can go to that site and enter in their address and request to be updated when an offender or predator moves within x amount of miles. I wouldn't get involved for it is a misdameanor to interfer.

We have a similar situation and believe it or not these guys/gals do have rights (not that I believe they should) but you cannot openly harrass them or lead to them being harrassed without opening yourselves up to a lawsuit. Here's what we did. We've put a link on our website to the National Registry and also published a general information article in our newsletter encouraging parents to view the sight. We didn't specifically mention anyone's name etc...but have done our best to make the information pretty blatant without being harrassing of the slime bucket.

d

sounds a bit like NOYB to me....unless the individual is volunteering at school.

you can always post in your newsletters, general infos for parents about keeping abreast of such things and name a few of the weblinks that help parents stay aware and keep kids safe.

but to name someone, publicize it, seems youre walking on thin ice and open yourself up to liabilities. my o2

by the way, the principal should have been informed asap by the district, of a new RSO in school vicinity. typiclly the police notify district heads of such movements, i think its a requirement.
the district head was surely aware and this is not news to them. it may be they dont inform their head of schools, but one would sure hope they would.

Hello, I am new to PTO Today and a new co-President of our PTO this year. I am looking for advice on how to handle this situation:

A parent recently contacted us (co-Presidents) and told us that there is a convicted sex offender who recently moved into the neighborhood not far from her house. (She found out from National Sex Offender Registry ) She asked if we could find out if the conviction involved a minor, and if we could notify parents at school about this.

Based on the info we found out, it seems that it did involve a person under 16years of age. We discussed with the principal; he indicated that he could not send out information to the school regarding this but he would check with the superintendant.

Our dilemma is: 1) do we send something out to the school via email or letter to notify people of this and refer them to the website for further info or does this open us up to legal action from the individual if a parent chooses to take some action against him or confront him?

(on National Sex Offender Registry it specifically states in the Q & A section "Should I confront someone on your list? Can I make them move? No. Harassing anyone on the offender registry is a misdemeanor and can be punished by both a fine and jail time. The purpose of this service is to allow you to identify sexual predators that you may come in contact with, not as a tool to hunt them down and run them out.")

or 2) Do we do nothing? (which doesn't feel right either, as we think parents should be aware of this!)

We are torn between feeling the need to make people aware of this, and not wanting to create a hysteria. It seems this is the first time this issue has hit so close to home in our neighborhood. I have a call in to our local police station for their advice, but any advice anyone could offer would be appreciated - thanks!