Just like curriculum, testing, and other aspects of education, conflicts between public school employees and students are governed by state laws.
School employees receive guidance from districts on how to handle disorderly students who are considered a threat to safety. And the Utah High School Activities Association oversees training for coaches working for public schools.
Carol Lear is a Utah State Board of Education member who has served on the Professional Practices Task Force, among other committees, with the USBE.
Lear said training all contract, part-time, and volunteer coaches for 365 public high schools is an enormous task, and she doesn’t know of a formal review process for ensuring everyone knows the laws.
"It's sort of an ‘on your honor’ status, but the high school activities association which is a separate entity from school districts and charter schools, that entity requires every school that participates with the High School Activities Association, and that includes athletic coaches," Lear said. "It includes drama and music, or it requires them to list their coaches. And then there's a training module their coaches should take under UHSAA."
A Park City School District policy prohibits teachers and coaches from using corporal punishment, which is defined as the intentional infliction of physical pain for disciplinary purposes. The policy states school employees and coaches can use physical restraint with students in self-defense or under other dangerous circumstances.
Restraint is also allowed when students have dangerous objects or weapons or if students behave violently and threaten the safety of others.
The policy outlines emergency safety interventions which cover employee training and alternatives to restraint when possible.
Lear said there are many factors to consider when restraining students.
"People have different sensitivities about what is to protect a student or another individual from physical injury," Lear said. "That would have to be evaluated based on literally what was happening. How big was the student? What was he trying to do? What kind of restraint did the teacher/employee use? The law generally has a standard that you're only supposed to use force that's reasonable under the circumstance."
Park City School District Media Relations Spokesperson Heidi Matthews said the district follows the Utah High School Activities Association and the Utah School Board of Education rules when employees or coaches discipline students. She told KPCW the district maintains verification of each coach's completion of training.
Discipline and safety guidelines for teachers and coaches can be found in Utah Code 53 G-8-302.
