All teachers and other professionals are required by law to make a report to their supervisors/counselors as well as child protective services if they get information that someone poses an immediate threat of danger to themselves or others.

• Most teachers are advised to report everything, instead of judging and weighing the information themselves.

• The teacher (or whoever will be in the room during the school & community drug talks) is the person who will report this information. It is important that the teacher/advisor disclose to the group what types of things they are required to report, so that the students know before they say anything.

• For example, a student may assume that everything is private and tells the group that their mother hits them when she is drunk. Another student may tell the group that they make speed in their garage. Another student may tell the group that they smoke pot before going to school. The teacher/advisor may report all, none or some of these things.

• The students have a right to know what exceptions there are to the rule that everything said in the room stays in the room.

• The teacher can also interrupt someone as they talking to the group, to let them know that what they are saying is something they will have to report.

In New Mexico, the statewide Board of Education makes policies and requirements that affect all schools in the state.

School districts make policies and requirements that affect all schools in the district.

Individual schools have policies and requirements that affect their school.

Ultimately, it is the teacher who determines what happens in their classroom, though they are bound by both statewide, district and school policies and requirements.