Harassment of students by other
students will not be tolerated in the Georgetown Public Schools. This policy is
in effect while students are on school grounds, School District property or
property within the jurisdiction of the School District, school buses, or
attending or engaging in school activities.
Harassment prohibited by the
District includes, but is not limited to, harassment on the basis of race, sex,
creed, color, national origin, sexual orientation, religion, marital status or
disability. Students whose behavior is found to be in violation of this policy
will be subject to disciplinary action up to and including suspension or
expulsion.
Harassment means conduct of a verbal
or physical nature that is designed to embarrass, distress, agitate, disturb or
trouble students when:
·
Submission to such
conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of a
student’s education or of a student’s participation in school programs or
activities;
·
Submission to or
rejection of such conduct by a student is used as the basis for decisions
affecting the student, or;
Such conduct has the
purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with a student’s performance or
creating an intimidating or hostile learning environment.
Harassment as described above may
include, but is not limited to:
·
Verbal, physical or
written harassment or abuse;
·
Repeated remarks of a
demeaning nature;
·
Implied or explicit
threats concerning one’s grades, achievements, or other school
matter.
·
Demeaning jokes,
stories, or activities directed at the student.
The District will promptly and
reasonably investigate allegations of harassment. The Principal of each building
will be responsible for handling all complaints by students alleging
harassment.
Retaliation against a student,
because a student has filed a harassment complaint or assisted or participated
in a harassment investigation or proceeding, is also prohibited. A student who
is found to have retaliated against another in violation of this policy will be
subject to disciplinary action up to and including suspension and
expulsion.
The Superintendent will
develop administrative guidelines and procedures for the implementation of this
policy.
SOURCE: MASC
LEGAL REF.: M.G.L.
151B:3A
Title VII,
Section 703, Civil Rights Act of 1964 as amended
Board of
Education 603 CMR 26:00
REFS.: “Words that
Hurt,” American School Board Journal, September 1999
National
Education Policy Network, NSBA
Adopted on: April 10,
2008