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Nondiscrimination and Harassment | |
School board policy prohibits discrimination or harassment against students. Staff, volunteers, and students will provide equal treatment and access to educational programs, services, and aid to students without regard to their disability, race, color, gender, national origin, ethnicity, sexual orientation, age, religion, marital status, socioeconomic status, cultural background, familial status, physical characteristics, or linguistic characteristics of a national origin group.
means any act that has the purpose or effect of unreasonably differentiating in treatment, based on disability, race, color, gender, national origin, ethnicity, sexual orientation, age, religion, marital status, socioeconomic status, cultural background, familial status, physical characteristics, or linguistic characteristics of a national origin group. Sexual harassment is defined as "unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature. Sexual harassment may include such actions as sex-oriented verbal kidding, teasing, or jokes, subtle pressure for sexual activity, physical contact such as patting, pinching, or brushing against another’s body, or demands for sexual favors. Staff and volunteers will follow school board policy to ensure that students are not discriminated against or harassed. They will provide direct and indirect supervision of students, provide reasonable access to all district programs, classes, services, and aid, avoid the use of terms that are derogatory, and use tests and instructional material that do not unfairly discriminate between students. Students are expected to follow the standards for student behavior that are outlined in school policy and this handbook, which include the requirement that they refrain from harassment and discrimination.
Parents, students, and members of the community are encouraged to follow the complaint process summarized below if they believe that they have been the victim of discrimination or harassment and that it has not been handled appropriately by the school. A complete copy of the district’s "School Based Discrimination or Harassment Complaint Process" is available at each school or by contacting the Deputy Superintendent at 687-3453.
If parents, students, or other community members wish to pursue a complaint to deal with an incident of harassment or discrimination, or because they are not satisfied with a staff person’s response to their initial statement of concern, they may initiate Step 1 in the complaint process by contacting the school or department administrator orally or in writing within 10 school days of becoming aware of the incident or 10 school days after having received the staff person’s response to their initial statement of concern. The administrator must attempt to resolve the complaint within 15 school days and may use an "outside" facilitator to assist in the process. An individual may choose to skip this step and go directly to Step 2 in the process. This step in the process may be used by a parent, student, or community member who is not satisfied with how the complaint was resolved in Step 1 of the process, or who wishes to pursue a formal complaint instead of using the informal process. They may initiate a formal complaint by filing a completed complaint form with the Deputy Superintendent within 20 school days of the incident, or within 10 school days of receiving the response from the administrator, if the first step in the process was used. The Deputy Superintendent must attempt to resolve the complaint within 20 school days after receiving the complaint. He or she may offer voluntary mediation as a way of resolving the complaint. The third step of the process may be used by a parent, student, or community member who is not satisfied with how the complaint was resolved in Step 2 of the process. The person may appeal in writing to the superintendent within 10 school days after receiving the Deputy Superintendent’s response in Step 2. The superintendent or the superintendent’s designee will determine whether or not to schedule a hearing within 10 school days of receiving the appeal. If a hearing is scheduled, the superintendent may appoint a hearing officer who will schedule a hearing within 20 school days of receipt of the appeal. If the superintendent does not conduct a hearing, the superintendent will inform the complainant of his or her rights to file a complaint directly with the state or federal government. No reprisal or adverse action will occur as a consequence of initiating a discrimination or harassment complaint unless it is knowingly false. Both state and federal law [Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act] require schools to provide an appropriate education for students who have disabilities. The district and its teaching staff will make reasonable accommodations and modifications for any student who has a disability. Some students with disabilities may require reasonable accommodations or modifications in order to participate fully in the regular educational program while others may require a special education placement. Students with disabilities, or their parents, may contact their classroom teacher, a counselor, or the school principal if they believe accommodations or modifications need to be made or if they would like to be referred to receive special education services. | |
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Eugene School District 4J