Vaud State Councilor Frédéric Borloz issued a directive on June 24 specifying the duties of teaching staff. It explicitly concerns sexual and intimate relationships between teachers and students.
The text from the head of the Education Department explains that teaching staff in compulsory and post-compulsory education are prohibited from “maintaining intimate relationships or engaging in sexual acts with students, even if the latter are consenting or that the initiative belongs to them or appears to belong to them.
While any such relationship with minors is obviously prohibited, it is still possible with adult students. Unless they “attend the same educational or training establishment as the one in which the member of teaching staff concerned works.”
Any breach of these rules will lead, “depending on its seriousness and in compliance with the constitutional principle of proportionality, to a warning or to the termination of the teacher’s employment contract”. He may even be criminally prosecuted, the text specifies.
This directive, which will come into force on July 1, responds to a motion submitted to the Grand Council by the Green Yannick Maury, explains “24 hours”, Supported by all parties, it asked to clarify the cantonal law which remained vague on the question . The elected official declared to the Vaudois daily that he is very satisfied with this directive. “This also confirms that the vagueness that reigned before was not beneficial to anyone and that the law was not very clear.”
The directive was published while the motion is still under study in committee.
