1. The Dignity Act
• Effective July 1, 2012
• Included provisions for:
– Curriculum development
– Code of Conduct amendments
– Dignity Act Coordinator designation
– Reporting of incidents
– Employee Training
– Protection against retaliation against good faith
reports of HBD
2. Amendments to the Dignity Act
• Effective July 1, 2013
• Included additional provisions for:
– Inclusion of “bullying” wherever “discrimination and
harassment” appear
– Cyberbullying – definition and inclusion
– Off-campus conduct inclusion
– Specific DAC designation
– Prompt reporting when employees witness or receive
reports
– Professional certification for new applications
3. Who does what??
Reporting and Investigation
• Staff – must report an incident witnessed or
reported to them to superintendent, principal
or designee
4. Who does what??
Reporting and Investigation
• Superintendent, principal or designee must:
– lead or supervise the thorough investigation of all reports
of HBD, and ensure that such investigation is completed
promptly
• If the investigation verifies a material incident of HBD
– “take prompt action reasonably calculated to end the
harassment, bullying, and/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
the behavior was directed.”
5. Who does what??
Reporting and Investigation
• Superintendent, principal or designee must:
– promptly notify the appropriate local law
enforcement agency when it is believed that any
HBD constitutes criminal conduct
6. Dignity Act Coordinator
• “Point Person” for the Dignity Act
• Specific responsibilities are determined by
each school district
• Should work to ensure a school environment:
– free of HBD
– that is safe, supportive and positive
Editor's Notes
Curriculum development – Instruction in civility, citizenship and character education
SAVE legislation has already required this, but Dignity Act expanded this to promote civility and increase sensitivity to discrimination, bullying and harassment especially with respect to the protected classes
Code of Conduct – amended to include the language of the Dignity Act
must be posted on district website, in all buildings
must provide a plain language summary in age-appropriate language to all students
must provide this version to all students and teachers – must MAIL it to parents/guardians
Dignity Act Coordinator – each school building must identify a staff member thoroughly trained to handle human relations in the areas of the named protected classes
contact info must be readily accessible and provided to all students, staff and parent/guardians
Reporting – all staff must report “material incidents” in violation of the Dignity Act to designated person
schools must provide an annual report to NYSED
Staff training – must be provided with training to promote a positive school environment free of HBD
also to discourage and respond to incidents
Whistleblower protection – retaliation by any school employee or student shall be prohibited against any individual who, in good faith, reports or assists in the investigation of HBD
Bullying and Cyberbullying – included in all Dignity Act language
Off-campus conduct – (refer back to Material Incident HO)
When conduct that occurs off school property “creates or would foreseeably create a risk of substantial disruption within the school environment…”
Specific DAC – must be:
teacher, school counselor, school psychologist, school nurse, school social worker, school administrator or supervisor, or superintendent of schools
Prompt reporting
Must report ORALLY to designee not later than ONE school day after witnessing or receiving report
Must submit WRITTEN report not later than TWO school days after making an oral report
Professional certification – see Slide #4
Sample DASA Complaint Form HO
The Dignity Act Coordinator is the point person for the Dignity Act in their school.
The work of the Dignity Act Coordinator should focus on the premise that no student be harassed or discriminated against due to their actual or perceived race, color, weight, national origin, ethnic group, religion, religious practice, disability, sexual orientation, gender (including gender identity or expression), or sex.
In addition, the Dignity Act Coordinator should work to ensure that all students are provided with a safe, supportive, and positive school climate. The New York State Board of Regents adopted the voluntary Educating the Whole Child Engaging the Whole School: Guidelines and Resources for Social and Emotional Development and Learning (SEDL) in New York State in July 2011 (www.p12.nysed.gov/sss/sedl/SEDLguidelines.pdf).
