Dignity for All Students Act (Dignity Act): Protecting Students and Yourself

Dignity for All Students Act(Dignity Act): Protecting Students and Yourself

I always wondered why someone

didn’t do something about

that, then I realized I’m that

someone.http://bornthiswayfoundation.org/

Dignity for All Students Act:Primary Requirements & Overview

www.p12.nysed.gov/dignityact

Dignity for All Students Act

Signed into law by Governor Paterson 9-13-2010

Chapter 482 – Laws of 2010New Article 2 – Education LawEffective date 7-1-2012Dignity Act Task ForceDignity Act Work GroupsCommissioner’s Regulations

effective 7-1-2012

Dignity Act-Related Regulatory Amendments

• 100.2(c) Instruction in Civility, Citizenship, and

Character Education• 100.2(l) Code of Conduct

119.6

• 100.2(jj) Dignity Act Coordinator & Training

• 100.2(kk) Dignity Act Reporting• 80 – 52.21(s)Teacher Certification

No student shall be subjected to harassment by employees or students on school property or at a school

function; nor shall any student be subjected to discrimination based on their actual or perceived:

– race

– color

– weight

– national origin

– ethnic group

– religion

– religious practice

– disability

– sexual orientation

– gender (including gender identity or expression)

– sex

• The Dignity Act applies to all public school districts, BOCES, and charter schools.

• The Dignity Act applies to incidents on school property (including in a school building, athletic playing field, playground, parking lot, school bus) or at a school-sponsored function (school extra curricular event or activity).

• The Dignity Act promotes civility and creates an environment free of discrimination and harassment.

• The Dignity Act addresses harassment and discrimination of students at school – and works to prevent future incidents of harassment and discrimination.

Dignity Act Reporting Basics

• Annual public school report to the State Education Department summarizing all material incidents of discrimination and/or harassment which occur on school property (including a school bus) and/or at a school function

Defining A Material Incident of Discrimination and/or Harassment

• A single incident or a series of related incidents where a student is subjected to discrimination and/or harassment by a student and/or employee on school property or at a school function that creates a hostile environment by conduct, with or without physical contact and/or by verbal threats, intimidation or abuse, of such severe or pervasive nature that:

a) has or would have the effect of unreasonably and substantially interfering with a student’s educational performance, opportunities or benefits, or mental, emotional and/or physical well-being; or

b) reasonably causes or would reasonably be expected to cause a student to fear for his or her physical safety.

• Material incidents of discrimination and/or harassment include, but are not limited to, threats, intimidation or abuse based on a person’s actual or perceived race, color, weight, national origin, ethnic group, religion, religious practice, disability, sexual orientation, gender, or sex.

Dignity Act Reporting Basics

Are the result of the investigation of a written or oral complaint made to the school principal or other school administrator responsible for school discipline, or to any other school employee; or

Are otherwise directly observed by such principal or administrator, or by any other school employee regardless of whether a complaint is made.

Annual report of material incidents to NYSED of discrimination and/or harassment that:

Cyberbullying DefinitionHarassment or bullying through any form of electronic communication which:

• Has or would have the effect of unreasonably and substantially interfering with a student’s educational performance, opportunities or benefits, or mental, emotional or physical well-being;

• Reasonably causes or would reasonably be expected to cause a student to fear for his or her physical safety;

• Reasonably causes or would reasonably be expected to cause physical injury or emotional harm to a student;

Cyberbullying Definition(cont.)

• Occurs off school property and creates or would foreseeably create a risk of substantial disruption within the school environment, where it is foreseeable that the conduct, threats, intimidation, or abuse might reach school property.

• Acts of harassment and bullying shall include, but not be limited to, those acts based on a person’s actual or perceived race, color, weight, national origin, ethnic group, religion, religious practice, disability, sexual orientation, gender, or sex.

The principal, superintendent or their designee is charged with receiving reports of harassment, bullying and discrimination.

The principal, superintendent or their designee must lead or supervise the thorough investigation of all reports of harassment, bullying and discrimination, and to ensure that such investigation is completed promptly after receipt of any written reports.

When an investigation reveals verified harassment, bullying or discrimination, the school must take prompt actions reasonably calculated to:

end the harassment, bullying or discrimination

eliminate any hostile environment create a more positive school culture and

climate prevent recurrence of the behavior, and

ensure the safety of the student or students against whom such harassment, bullying or discrimination was directed.

ANY school employee who witnesses harassment, bullying or discrimination, or receives an oral or written report of harassment, bullying or discrimination, must promptly orally notify the principal, superintendent or their designee not later than one school day after witnessing or receiving a report of harassment, bullying or discrimination

And file a written report with the principal, superintendent or their designee not later than two school days after making the oral report

The principal, superintendent or their designee must promptly notify local law enforcement when they believe that the harassment, bullying or discrimination constitutes criminal conduct

S 801-a. Instruction in civility,

citizenship and character

education: An emphasis on

discouraging acts of

harassment, bullying,

discrimination Instruction of safe, responsible

use of the Internet and

electronic communications.

www.nea.org/assets/docs/ESP_STOP_Bully_Health-final.pdf

• To implement the Dignity Act in a meaningful manner, an evolving school climate and culture which supports social and emotional development and learning must be proactively supported and nurtured throughout the entire school day and the school year.

• www.p12.nysed.gov/sss/sedl

Building a Safe School Environment • A safe school environment needs to

encompass the entire school community - including the classroom, cafeteria, library, restrooms, the school bus, the nurse’s office, and the playground.

• Everyone at school needs to work together to create a climate where bullying is not acceptable.

www.stopbullying.gov/prevention/at-school/build-safe-environment/index.html

www.naesp.org/sites/default/files/BullyingBookmark.pdf

All Faculty And Staff

Should Serve As

Positive Role Models for All Students

in the School.

____________________

To Effectively

Implement the Dignity

Act – All Staff Need to

Work Toward This

Common Goal.

• Creating a positive school environment means establishing and promoting a culture of inclusion and respect that welcomes ALL students.

Review current districtpolicies and procedures to ensure compliance with U.S. Department of Education Office of Civil Rights statutes and regulations which address peer harassment based on race, color, national origin, sex, or disability.

Review statutes enforced by the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights

www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/dcl-factsheet-201010.pdf

• Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin.

• Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex.

• Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, which prohibit discrimination on the basis of a disability.

School districts may violate Federal civil

rights statutes and U.S.E.D. regulations

when peer harassment based on race,

color, national origin, sex, or disability is

sufficiently serious that it creates a hostile

environment and such harassment is

encouraged, tolerated, not adequately

addressed, or ignored by school staff.

www.stopbullying.gov/laws/federal

The Dignity Act, SAVE, and Federal Civil Rights Laws

www.tolerance.org/bullied

Case Study

The New York State Education Department and the Dignity Act Task Force do not endorse or promote any commercial or for-profit programs.

Bullied is a documentary film that chronicles one student’s ordeal at the hands of anti-gay bullies and offers an inspiring message of hope to those fighting

harassment today. It can become a cornerstone of anti-bullying efforts in middle and high schools.

Bullied includes: A 40-minute documentary film (DVD), with closed captioning and with Spanish

subtitles A two-part viewers guide with standards-aligned lesson plans and activities for use in staff development.

Bullied is designed to help administrators, teachers and counselors create a safer school environment for all students, not just those who are gay and lesbian. It is also intended to help all students understand the terrible toll

bullying can take on its victims, and to encourage students to stand up for their classmates who are being harassed.

Bullied has been endorsed by the National Education Association.





U.S. Court of Appeals2nd Circuit Court Decision

• Anthony Zeno v. PPCSD

• Case decided December 3, 2012

• Award of damages of $1.0 million to Anthony Zeno pursuant to Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (damages were originally $1.25 million)


• Anthony Zeno (dark skinned bi-racial – half Latino and half white) transferred from a school on Long Island to the PPCSD during 9th grade

• He was racially harassed for the next 3½ years by other students

• School district was found to be “deliberately indifferent to his harassment”


• The high school was “a racially homogenous school were minorities represented less than 5% of the student population.”

• Anthony was repeatedly harassed and threatened – both physically and verbally which included calling him a “n…”, hanging a noose in a tree, threatening to lynch him, and rape his sister

• Students were suspended and family had order of protection

• NAACP offered to hold racial sensitivity programs at no cost – which the school district declined


• Anthony was eventually given an IEP because he was “struggling with acceptance in the school environment”

• Title IX officer never followed-up or responded to any complaints

• Mediation was arranged between students and Anthony, but Mrs. Zeno wasn’t informed – and mediator had no training in bias or diversity issues

• A staff training session was held to address bullying – but racial harassment was not discussed or addressed

• Anthony graduated with an IEP diploma

• Set a tone of respect throughout the entire school day – in the classroom, hallways, cafeterias, stairwells, locker rooms, on playfields, school buses, at school functions, etc.

• Remember: the Dignity Act applies to student-to-student and faculty/staff-to-student behaviors.

www.thinkb4youspeak.com/ForEducators/GLSEN-EducatorsGuide.pdf

www.thetrevorproject.org

Thank You!

David Bryant

NYS Education Dept

518-486-6090

[email protected]

www.p12.nysed.gov/dignityact

www.facebook.com/dignityact

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.p12.nysed.gov/dignityact

http://www.facebook.com/dignityact

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Dignity for All Students Act (Dignity Act): Protecting Students and Yourself