SECTION 210:35-3-188. Child Abuse and Neglect Hotline signs in schools

(a)   Requirement to post a visible sign. Each public school in Oklahoma shall post a sign or signs, in English and Spanish, showing the toll-free telephone number of the Child Abuse and Neglect Hotline operated by the Department of Human Services (DHS). Sample signs in English and Spanish are available on the State Department of Education website.

(b)   Content. For school districts that choose to design their own hotline awareness signs, the following guidelines apply to content:

(1)   The English and Spanish text must communicate the same information;

(2)   The words "child abuse or neglect" and the telephone number of the DHS hotline must be prominent in the design; and

(3)   The content should convey that anyone who suspects child abuse or neglect should contact the hotline (for example, "You can stop child abuse. If you think that a child is the victim of abuse, neglect, or exploitation, tell someone.").

(c)   Location. The sign(s) shall be posted in a clearly visible location in a public area of the school that is readily accessible to students. If separate signs are used for the Spanish and English versions, both must be displayed in the same location. The bottom edge of the sign(s) should be a minimum of forty inches (40") and a maximum of seventy inches (70") from the floor, unless the architecture of the public location chosen for display requires a higher placement height. Examples of appropriate public areas to post the sign(s) include, but are not limited to: near the school's main entry doors, outside the school's main office, or inside the cafeteria or another room frequented by all students. A school may post additional copies of the sign(s) in less public areas, such as inside restrooms or classrooms, provided at least one English and Spanish version are posted in a clearly visible public area.

(d)   Size and font. If separate signs are used for English and Spanish text versions, the minimum size of each sign shall be eight and one-half by eleven inches (8 ½" x 11"). If both English and Spanish text appear on the same sign, the minimum size shall be eight and one-half by fourteen inches (8 ½" x 14"). Based on the visibility guidelines of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the font used shall not be italic, script, or highly decorative, and the words "child abuse" and the telephone number of the DHS hotline should appear in a font size at least one inch (1") high on the printed sign(s). For signs placed higher than seventy inches (70") above the floor, all text must be at least one inch (1") high. The colors of the sign background and the text should contrast for easy visibility, for example dark colors should be used for text if the background is a light color, and white or a very light color should be used for text if the background is a dark color. School districts that design their own signs are encouraged to consider color blindness and other potential visibility issues when choosing a design.

[Source: Added at 34 Ok Reg 1102, eff 9-11-17]