The Dignity for
All StudentsAct
New York States Dignity for AllStudents Act (The Dignity Act)seeks to provide the Statesstudents with a safe andsupportive environment free fromdiscrimination, int imidation,taunting, harassment, andbullying on school property, aschool bus and/or at a schoolfunction.
This brochure presents ano v e r v i ew o f t h e ba s i crequirements under the DignityAct. It is by no means acomprehensive resource. Furtherinformation about the Dignity ActandassociatedRegulationsoftheCommissioner of Education areavailableat:
http://www.p12.nysed.gov/dignityact
UpdatedJune2013 New YorkState
EducationDepartment
OfficeofSchool Innovation StudentSupportServices
Room318M,EducationBuilding Albany,NY 12234
Phone:5184866090 Email:[email protected]
Website:http://www.p12.nysed.gov/dignityact
New Yorks
Dignity forAll
StudentsAct AmendmentseffectiveJuly1,2013
http://www.p12.nysed.gov/dignityactmailto:[email protected]://www.p12.nysed.gov/dignityact
Amendment tothe Dignity Act, cont. New YorksDignityforAllStudentsActEmployeeReporting:Schoolemployees
TheDignityfor All StudentsActEffectiveJuly1,2012 (Chapter482Lawsof 2010)
Curriculum:Curriculummustinclude instruction thatsupportsthe developmentofaschoolenvironment freeofdiscrimination andharassment.
CodeofConduct:TheCode ofConductmustbe amended toincludeprovisionsprohibitingdiscriminationandharassmentagainst anystudentbyemployeesor students, and provisionsforresponding to such acts.
Reporting:Materialincidentsofdiscrimination and/or harassmentonschoolgroundsor ataschoolfunctionmustbe reportedtoNYSEDannually.
Dignity ActCoordinator:Atleastonestaff member ateveryschoolmustbedesignated andtrainedto handlehumanrelationsin the areasof:race,color,weight,nationalorigin,ethnicgroup,religion,religiouspractice,disability,sexualorientation,gender,and sex.
Employee Training: Employeesmustreceivetrainingtoraiseawarenessand sensitivitytopotentialactsofdiscrimination and/or harassmentandto enableemployeesto preventandrespondtoincidentsofdiscrimination andharassment.
Amendment tothe Dignity ActEffectiveJuly1,2013 (Chapter102Lawsof 2012) Thefollowingprovisionsareinadditiontotheoriginal DignityAct.
Cyberbullying:Cyberbullyingwillbedefined asharassmentor bullying byanyform of electroniccommunication,andincludeincidentsoccurring off schoolpropertythatcreateorwould foreseeablycreateariskofsubstantialdisruptionwithinthe schoolenvironment.
ReportsofHarassment,Bullyingand
Discrimination:Theprincipal,superintendent,or designeemustbechargedwithreceivingreports.
InvestigationofReports:The principal,superintendent, ordesigneemustleadorsupervise thepromptandthoroughinvestigationofreports.
ResponsetoVerifiedReports:Theschoolmusttakepromptactionsreasonablycalculated to end theharassment,bullyingor discrimination,eliminateanyhostileenvironment, and ensure the safetyofthestudent(s)towardwhomharassment,bullyingor discriminationwasdirected.
whowitnessorreceiveareportofharassment, bullyingor discriminationmustnotifythe principal,superintendentor designeewithinoneschooldayafter witnessing theincidentorreceivingthereportandmustfile awrittenreportwithintwo schooldaysthereafter.
NotificationofLawEnforcement:The Principal,Superintendentordesigneewillbe requiredto notifyappropriatelocallawenforcementwhen theybelievethatanyharassment, bullyingor discrimination constitutescriminalconduct.
ProfessionalCertification:Professionalsapplying forcertificateorlicense,including butnotlimitedtoclassroom teachers,schoolcounselors,schoolpsychologists,schoolsocialworkers,schooladministratorsor supervisors,andsuperintendentsofschools,mustcomplete training onthesocialpatternsof harassment, bullying anddiscrimination,identificationandmitigation ofharassment, bullyinganddiscrimination,andstrategiesfor effectivelyaddressingexclusion,biasand aggressionineducationalsettings.
Curriculum:Curriculummustinclude instructioninsafeandresponsibleuseofthe Internetandelectroniccommunicationsand emphasizediscouraging actsof harassment, bullyinganddiscrimination.
Guidance andEducationalMaterials: The State EducationDepartmentwillprovide guidance and educationalmaterials,including bestpracticesin addressingcyberbullying,andbestpracticesinhelping familiesand communitiestoworkcooperativelywith schoolsinaddressingcyberbullying.
