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Amherst-Pelham Regional Public Schools

Phone

413-362-1810

Address

170 Chestnut Street,
Amherst MA 01002

Policy JICF: Student-to-Student Harassment

Home 5 Policy JICF: Student-to-Student Harassment

Harassment of students by other students will not be tolerated in the Amherst, Pelham, or Amherst-Pelham Regional School Districts. This policy is in effect while students are in school buildings, on school grounds, on school buses or school-sanctioned transportation, or at school activities held in any location.

Harassment prohibited by the Districts includes, but is not limited to, harassment on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin (ancestry), disability, criminal record, or sex/gender (including sexual orientation and gender identity).  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. (see policies:  AC Non-Discrimination, JICK Sexual Harassment of Students, JICFB Bullying, and IJNDB Acceptable Network Use)

Harassment refers to conduct of a verbal or physical nature that is designed to embarrass, distress, agitate, disturb or trouble students when:

  1. 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;
  2. Submission to or rejection of such conduct by a student is used as the basis for decisions affecting the student, or;
  3. 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:

  1. Verbal, physical, or written harassment or abuse, including texting, social media or other electronic media
  2. Repeated remarks of a demeaning nature
  3. Implied or explicit threats concerning one’s grades, achievements, or other school matters
  4. Demeaning jokes, stories, or activities directed at the student

The District will promptly and reasonably investigate allegations of harassment.

Retaliation against a student, because a student has filed a harassment complaint or assisted or participated in a harassment investigation or proceeding for bias-based conduct of any kind, 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.

For incidents involving students’ civil rights:

United States Department of Education Office of Civil Rights (OCR)

John W. McCormack Post Office and Courthouse

5 Post Office Square, 8th Floor, Suite 900

Boston, MA  02109

(617) 289-0111

 

For concerns regarding students’ equitable access to education:

Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE)

350 Main Street

Malden, MA  02108

(781) 388-3300

 

LEGAL REF:  MGL 151B:3A

                           Title VII, Section 703, Civil Rights Act of 1964 as amended

                           Board of Education 603 CMR 26:00

 

Region Voted to Approve: 10/10/06   Revised and approved 4/30/19

Amherst Voted to Approve: 11/14/06

Pelham Voted to Approve: 11/02/06

Effective Date: 11/14/06