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The officers and employees of the District will not discriminate in the educational programs and activities and the employment practices on the basis of legally protected classes, such as, but not limited to, race (including hair, hairstyle, and other traits historically associated with race), color, national origin, creed, religion or religious practice, marital status, familial status, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical condition), age, sexual orientation, gender (including gender identity, gender expression, and status of being transgender), disability (physical or mental), predisposing genetic characteristics, military work or status, domestic violence victim status, citizenship/immigration status, use of a guide dog, hearing dog, or service dog, as applicable, criminal arrest or conviction record, reproductive healthcare decisions (their own or their dependents) or any other basis prohibited by state or federal nondiscrimination laws. The District will provide notice of this policy in accordance with federal and state law and regulation.

This policy of nondiscrimination includes:  access by students to educational programs, counseling services, course offerings and student activities, as well as recruitment and appointment of employees and employment pay, benefits, advancement and/or terminations.

To promote the District website’s accessibility to staff, students, and members of the community with disabilities, the District will maintain a website that is accessible (or contains accessible alternatives) on perceivability, operability, and understandability principles. The District’s Director of Technology is responsible for considering the following when developing or updating the District website:

• Adding the text equivalent to every image;

• Posting documents in a text-based format such as HTML or RTF in addition to PDFs;

• Avoiding dictating colors and font settings;

• Including audio descriptions and captions to videos;

• Identifying other barriers to access; and

• Making other considerations when developing the District’s website.

The officers and employees of the District will not discriminate against students on the basis of actual or perceived race (including hair, hairstyle, and other traits historically associated with race), color, weight, national origin, ethnic group, religion, religious practice, disability, sex, sexual orientation, or gender (including gender identity and gender expression).

Any individual who believes that they have been discriminated against is encouraged to inform the appropriate official designated by the District to hear such complaints of alleged discrimination. The designated official will provide the complainant with information regarding the District’s policy prohibiting discrimination and the grievance/complaint procedures available to such individual.

A finding that an individual has engaged in conduct in violation of this policy may result in disciplinary action and/or the filing of a report with third parties in the manner prescribed by the District Code of Conduct, the law, or applicable contract.

Nothing in this policy will be construed to prohibit a denial of admission into, or exclusion from, a course of instruction or activity based on a person’s gender that would be permissible under the law, or to prohibit, as discrimination based on disability, actions that would be permissible under the law.

Annual Notification

At the beginning of each school year, the District will publish a notice of the established grievance procedures for resolving complaints of discrimination to parents/guardians, employees, students, and the community. The notice will:

1. inform parents/guardians, employees, students, and the community that education programs including, but not limited to, vocational programs, are offered without regard to actual or perceived race (including hair, hairstyle, and other traits historically associated with race), color, weight, national origin, ethnic group, religion, religious practice, disability, sex, sexual orientation, or gender (including gender identity,  gender expression, and status as transgender);

2. provide the names, addresses and telephone numbers of the persons designated to coordinate activities concerning discrimination; and

3. be included in announcements, bulletins, catalogs, and applications made available by the District.

The following individuals are designated as compliance officers to hear complaints of alleged discrimination or harassment:

Title IX Officer - Sex/Gender/Sexual Orientation – Students:

Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction, Director of Pupil Personnel Services 

Title VII/IX Officer - Sex/Gender/Sexual Orientation – Employees:

Assistant Superintendent for Business and Director of Human Resources 

Title VI Officer - Race, Color, National Origin, Creed, Religion:

Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction and Director of Human Resources

Section 504/Title II ADA Responsible Person - Disability:

Director of Pupil Personnel Services and Director of Human Resources.

EEO Officer - All Other Discrimination/Harassment:  

Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction and Director of Human Resources

Contact information for these individuals will also be posted on the District’s website.

All complainants and those who participate in the investigation of a complaint in conformity with state law and District policies, who have acted reasonably and in good faith, have the right to be free from retaliation of any kind.

Cross-ref: 

0105, Title VI Civil Rights Act Nondiscrimination and Anti-Harassment in the Schools

0115, Student Harassment and Bullying Prevention and Intervention

5300, Code of Conduct

9130, Sexual Harassment in the Workplace

9140.1, Staff Complaints and Grievances

Ref:     Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 29 U.S.C. §621 et seq.

Americans with Disabilities Act, 42 U.S.C. §12101 et seq.

Title VI, Civil Rights Act of 1964, 42 U.S.C. §2000d et seq. (nondiscrimination based on race, color, and national origin in federally assisted programs)

Title VII, Civil Rights Act of 1964, 42 U.S.C. §2000e et seq. (nondiscrimination based on race, color, and national origin in employment)

Title IX, Education Amendments of 1972, 20 U.S.C. §1681 et seq. (nondiscrimination based on sex)

§504, Rehabilitation Act of 1973, 29 U.S.C. §794

Individuals with Disabilities Education Law, 20 U.S.C §§1400 et seq.

Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008 P.L. 110-233

34 C.F.R. §§ 100.6, 104.8, 106.9, 110.25

Executive Law §290 et seq. (New York State Human Rights Law)

Education Law §§10-18 (The Dignity Act)

Education Law §§313(3), 3201, 3201-a

ADA Best Practices Tool Kit for State and Local Governments, Website Accessibility Under Title II of the ADA (see Chapter 5 and Chapter 5 Addendum checklist), www.ada.gov/pcatoolkit/toolkitmain.htm

Creating a Safe, Supportive and Affirming School Environment for Transgender and Gender Expansive Students:  2023 Legal Update and Best Practices,https://www.nysed.gov/sites/default/files/programs/student-support-services/creating-a-safe-supportive-and-affirming-school-environment-for-transgender-and-gender-expansive-students.pdf

Adopted date:   December 1, 1995

Amended date: January 23, 2006

Amended date: October 20, 2008

Amended date: October 19, 2009

Amended date: January 24, 2011

Amended date: June 4, 2012

Amended date: January 9, 2017

Amended date: February 6, 2017

Amended date: October 4, 2021

Amended date: October 23, 2023