JA-E: STUDENT POLICIES
GOALS
Active Efforts
(1) The
School Committee of each school district shall establish policies, promote
regulations and procedures, and implement monitoring and evaluation practices
that support and promote affirmative action and stimulate necessary changes to
ensure that all obstacles to equal access to school programs for all persons are
removed, regardless of race, sex, color, national origin, disability, sexual
orientation, religion or limited English-speaking ability, no matter how subtle
or unintended. Such policies shall include a requirement for an annual
evaluation of all aspects of the K through 12 school program to insure that all
students regardless of race, color, sex, religion, disability, sexual
orientation or national origin are given an opportunity to develop skills,
competence, and experience, and to receive appropriate guidance so that they may
be able to participate in all programs offered by the school including athletics
and other extracurricular activities. Special attention shall be given to
schools and programs in which students of either sex or of racial or national
origin groups present in the community are markedly
under-represented.
(2) If
participation in any school sponsored program or activity has previously been
limited to students based on race, color, sex, national origin, disability,
sexual orientation or religion, then the School Committee shall make active
efforts to insure that equal access to all school sponsored programs or
activities be provided within the system.
(3) It
shall be the responsibility of the School Committee and the Superintendent to
provide necessary information and in-service training for all school personnel
in order to:
(a) Advance
means of achieving educational goals in a manner free from discrimination on
account of race, color, sex, religion, disability, sexual orientation or
national origin.
(b) Enhance
consciousness of the kinds of discriminatory and prejudicial practices and
behavior, which may occur in the public schools.
(4) The
Superintendent, as an agent of the School Committee, shall promote and direct
effective procedures for the full implementation of 603 CMR 26.00, and shall
make recommendations to the Committee for the necessary policies, program
changes, and budget resource allocations needed to achieve adherence to 603 CMR
26.00.
(5) At
the beginning of the school year, the Superintendent of each school system shall
be responsible for sending to the parents of all school age children, in their
primary language, a notice of the existence of S. 1971 c.622 and its
implications. Such notice shall include the information that all courses of
study, extracurricular activities and services offered by the school are
available without regard to race, color, sex, religion, disability, sexual
orientation or national origin. This notice may be included with other
communications sent to parents by the school system. Upon request, the
Department of Education shall provide a translation in requested languages to
assist Superintendents in complying with this section. The Superintendent shall
inform the community of the existence of the law and of its implications through
newspaper releases or radio or television announcements.
(6) The
Superintendent shall ensure that all students are annually informed in a manner
certain to reach them of the existence of St. 1971, c.622 and its implications.
Students shall be informed that all courses of study, extracurricular
activities, services, and facilities offered by the school are available without
regard to race, color, sex, religion, disability, sexual orientation or national
origin.
(7) The
Superintendent of each school system shall make certain that employers who
recruit new employees in and through the schools of that district, do not
discriminate on account of race, color, sex, religion, disability, sexual
orientation or national origin in their hiring and recruitment practices within
the schools. Before any employer is allowed to recruit at or through any school,
they shall be required to sign a statement that they do not discriminate in
hiring or employment practices on account of race, color, sex, religion,
disability, sexual orientation or national origin.
(8)
Since adults serve as role models for students, school authorities shall utilize
adults in a variety of jobs, and as members of policy-making committees, to the
extent consistent with their contractual obligations, without regard to race,
color, sex, religion, disability, sexual orientation or national
origin.
(9)
Adults serving on athletic regulatory boards shall fairly represent the
interests of both male and female students.
(10)
Because selective secondary schools have had atypical student bodies in the
past, such selective secondary schools, including but not limited to selective
academic high schools, regional vocational-technical schools and trade schools,
shall admit qualified applicants of each sex and racial and ethnic groups in
numbers proportionate to the existence of members of such class in the secondary
school population of the geographic area served by that school. After the period
for application to the school has closed, if it is found that qualified
applicants of one of the above classes have not applied in numbers sufficient to
maintain this proportion, qualified students of the other categories may be
selected to fill the remaining openings.
(11) Any
contributions to a school for activities and monetary awards within or sponsored
by the school or for scholarships administered by the school made after the
effective date of 603 CMR 26.00 by any person, group or organization shall be
free from any restrictions based upon race, color, sex, religion, disability,
sexual orientation or national origin.
(12) The
opportunity to receive guidance and counseling in a student’s primary language
should be made available to students from homes where English is not the primary
language spoken.
SOURCE: MASC
LEGAL REF.: 603 CMR
26:00
Adopted on: April 10,
2008