Pleasant Valley harassment policy

Font Size:

By The Quad-City Times | Friday, February 16, 2007 1:51 PM CST | () comments

    The Pleasant Valley Community School District is committed to the belief that employees and students have a right to an environment that is free of discrimination, including harassment that is based on race, national origin, religion, sex, disability, marital status, age, or membership in any other protected class. Discriminatory harassment in any form is prohibited whether it occurs on district property or at events over which the school district has jurisdiction and whether it is perpetrated by or against Board of Education members, employees, students, vendors, and any other persons having business or other contact with the school district. Any student found in violation of this policy will be subject to discipline including, but not limited to, suspension, expulsion, or other sanction as determined appropriate.

    Harassment based on an individual’s race, national origin, religion, sex, disability, mental status, age, or membership in any other protected class includes, but is not limited to, unwelcome verbal or physical conduct which has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual’s work performance or creating a discriminatory intimidating, hostile, or offensive working environment.

    Sexual harassment includes, but is not limited to, unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature when:

•    submission to such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of an individual’s education;

•    submission to or rejection of such conduct by an individual is used as part of the basis for education decisions affecting such individuals; or

•    such conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual’s education or creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive educational environment.

Any person, while in the jurisdiction of Pleasant Valley Community School District, who witnesses discriminatory harassment or who believes they have suffered sexual or other discriminatory harassment, should contact the Multi-Cultural Non-Sexist Coordinator or the Superintendent of Schools to file a complaint. Claims may also be filed with the building principal.

There shall be no retaliatory action against any person who has made a complaint or who has provided information during the course of an investigation.

A student who believes he or she has suffered discriminatory harassment shall report such matters to the Superintendent or Multi-Cultural Non-Sexist Coordinator who shall be the investigator for harassment complaints. Claims may also be reported to the building principal.

Complaints shall be handled in a timely and confidential manner. Information regarding an investigation of harassment shall be confidential to the extent reasonably possible and those individuals who are involved in the investigation shall not discuss information regarding the complaint outside the investigation.

It shall be the responsibility of the person investigating the complaint to investigate promptly. Upon receiving a complaint, the investigator shall confer with the person making the complaint to obtain an understanding and a statement of the facts from the person.

Once the investigator has obtained a statement of the facts from the person filing the complaint, the investigator shall attempt to meet with the person charged with harassment to obtain a response to the complaint. The investigator may interview witnesses and meet with the parties involved in the complaint as often as the investigator determines to be necessary. Upon completion of the investigation, the investigator shall make a recommendation to the Superintendent.

FORM

Allegation of Harassment

TO BE COMPLETED BY COMPLAINANT:

Student’s name:                             Student’s age:

Student’s address:

Student’s school:

Name and address of person filing report:

Name and address of student’s parent or guardian, if different from person filing report:

Date, time, and location alleged harassment occurred:

Date report of harassment was filed:

Name of individual alleged to have committed the harassment:

Describe the alleged incident (be specific with details):

List witnesses to the alleged incident:

Evidence of harassment, i.e. letters, photos, etc. (attach evidence if possible)

Signature of individual completing report: