PROHIBITION AGAINST DISCRIMINATION, HARASSMENT AND BULLYING
The Elizabeth City-Pasquotank Board of Education believes that all employees and students should be free of unlawful discrimination, harassment, and bullying as a part of a safe, orderly, caring and inviting working and learning environment. The Board commits itself to nondiscrimination in all its educational and employment activities. The Board expressly prohibits unlawful discrimination, harassment or bullying, regarding any actual or perceived differentiating characteristic, such as race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, gender, socioeconomic status, academic status, gender identity, physical appearance, sexual orientation, or mental, physical, developmental, or sensory disability, or by association with a person who has or is perceived to have one or more of these characteristics.
The Board also prohibits retaliation against an employee or student who has exercised any rights made available through state or federal law, including prohibiting retaliation for reporting violations of this policy.
Any violation of this policy is considered a serious violation and appropriate action will be taken in response to a violation.
A.APPLICATION OF POLICY
All persons, agencies, vendors, contractors and other persons and organizations doing business with or performing services for the school district must comply with all applicable federal and state laws and regulations regarding nondiscrimination. Visitors also are expected to comply with applicable laws, including the prohibition against harassment and bullying of students or harassment of employees.
This policy will apply in the following circumstances:
1.while in any school building or on any school premises before, during or
after school hours;
2.while on any bus or other vehicle as part of any school activity;
3.while waiting at any bus stop;
4.during any school function, extracurricular activity or other activity or event;
5.when subject to the authority of school personnel; and
6.any time or place when the behavior has a direct and immediate effect on maintaining order and discipline in the schools.
B.DEFINITIONS
For purposes of this policy, the following definitions will apply:
Discrimination means any act that unreasonably and unfavorably differentiates treatment of others based solely on their membership in a distinct group or category, such as race, color, religion, ancestry, gender, sexual orientation, age, or disability. Discrimination may be intentional or unintentional.
Bullying or harassing behavior is any pattern of conduct including gestures, written, electronic, or verbal communications; any physical act or any threatening communication that takes place on school property, or at any school-sponsored function, or on a school bus, and that:
- Places a student or school employee in actual and reasonable fear of harm to his or her person or damage to his or her property; or
Bullying or harassing behavior includes, but is not limited to, acts reasonably perceived as being motivated by any actual or perceived differentiating characteristic such as race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, gender, socioeconomic status, academic status, gender identity, physical appearance, sexual orientation, or mental, physical, developmental, or sensory disability, or by association with a person who has or is perceived to have one or more of these characteristics.
C.DISCRIMINATION, HARASSMENT OR BULLYING COMPLAINT
PROCEDURES
1.Students and parents are encouraged to submit to the building principal
or his/her assistant principal or designee any complaints of discrimination, harassment or bullying. Complaints may be submitted anonymously. Complaints will be promptly investigated. Disciplinary procedures will be determined as indicated in the District Handbook.
D.NON-RETALIATION
E.TRAINING AND PROGRAMS
The superintendent shall designate an employee(s) to participate in training by the Department of Public Instruction pertaining to anti-discrimination, anti-harassment and anti-bullying. The designee will provide leadership and training in the school district regarding this policy and state requirements. Information regarding the policy will be incorporated into the school employee training program.
As funds are available, the Board will provide additional training for students and staff regarding the Board’s policy on discrimination, harassment andbullying and will create programs to address these issues. The superintendent will ensure that any training or programs provided will include identifying groups that may be the target of discrimination, harassment or bullying; identifying places at which such behavior may occur including within school buildings, at school bus stops, via the Internet, etc.; and providing clear examples of behavior that constitutes discrimination, harassment or bullying.
F.NOTICE
The superintendent is responsible for providing effective notice to students, parents and employees of the procedures for reporting and investigating complaints of discrimination, harassment and bullying. Notice will be provided to parents, students and school staff members through the District Handbook that is disseminated annually. The school district will investigate complaints of discrimination, harassment and bullying and will take reasonable steps to eliminate the discrimination, harassment or bullying.
G.COORDINATORS
The superintendent or designee will publish the names, addresses and phone numbers of the “Title IX Coordinator” (for sex discrimination), “Section 504 Coordinator” (for discrimination on the basis of disability) and the “ADA Coordinator” (also fordiscrimination on the basis of disability) in a manner intended to ensure that employees, applicants, students, parents and other individuals who participate in the school district’s program are aware of the coordinators. The purpose of the coordinator positions is to provide additional protection of nondiscrimination rights. The coordinator either must (1) implement a resolution to a discrimination, harassment or bullying complaint, to the extent a resolution can be reached and the coordinator has the authority to implement corrective action or (2) notify the superintendent that intervention by other school officials is required to resolve the situation.
H.RECORDS AND REPORTING
The superintendent or designee shall maintain confidential records of complaints or reports of discrimination which identify the names of any individuals accused of discrimination and the resolution of such reports or complaints. The superintendent also shall maintain records of training, corrective action or other steps taken by the district to help provide an environment free of discrimination, harassment and bullying.
The superintendent shall report to the State Board of Education all verified cases of discrimination, harassment or bullying. The report will be made through the Discipline Data Collection Report or through other means required by the State Board.
I.DIVERSITY PROGRAMS
The Board is committed to promoting the worth and dignity of all individuals
regardless of race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, gender, socioeconomic status, academic status, gender identity, physical appearance, sexual orientation, or mental, physical, developmental, or sensory disability. The board directs the superintendent to establish training and other programs to help eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and bullying and to foster an environment of understanding and respect for all individuals.
J.EVALUATION
The superintendent is required to evaluate the effectiveness of efforts to correct
or prevent discrimination, harassment and bullying and will share these
evaluations periodically with the board.
Adopted: February 28, 2005
Revised: March 22, 2010
Elizabeth City-Pasquotank Board of Education
To report bullying anonymously, please fill out the Bullying Report found at the address below:
Bullying Report
