District About Us
Locate a School
Directory
Calendars
Contact Us
Sitemap
 
  
 
SPPS Main site
Appendix I: Board of Education Policies
Board of Education policies are available at the following website:                http://staff.spps.org/board/policyabc.lasso
Selected Board of Education policies are published below as required by law.

528.01 HAZING PROHIBITION

I.    PURPOSE
The purpose of this policy is to maintain a safe learning environment for
students and staff that are free from hazing. Hazing activities of any type
are inconsistent with the educational goals of the school district and are
prohibited at all times.

II.   GENERAL STATEMENT OF POLICY                   
  1. No student, teacher, administrator, volunteer,contractor or other employee of the school district shall plan, direct,encourage, aid or engage in hazing.          
  2. No teacher,administrator, volunteer, contractor or other employee of the schooldistrict shall permit, condone or tolerate hazing.          
  3.    Apparent permission or consent by a person being hazed does not lessenthe prohibitions contained in this policy.
               
  4. This policy applies to behavior that occurs on or off school property and during or after school hours.
               
  5.   A person who engages in an act that violates school policy or law inorder to be initiated into or affiliated with a student organizationshall be subject to discipline for that act.
                                
  6. Theschool district will act to investigate all complaints of hazing andwill discipline or take appropriate action against any student,teacher, administrator, volunteer, contractor, or other employee of theschool district who is found to have violated this policy.
                     
III.   DEFINITIONS
    A. “Hazing” means committing an act against astudent, or coercing a student into committing an act, that creates asubstantial risk of harm to a person, in order for the student to beinitiated into or affiliated with a student organization, or for anyother purpose. The term hazing includes, but is not limited to:

  1. Any type of physical brutality such as whipping, beating,striking, branding, electronic shocking or placing a harmful substanceon the body.
  2. Any type of physical activity such as sleep deprivation, exposureto weather,  confinement in a restricted area, calisthenics orother activity that subjects the student to an unreasonable risk ofharm or that adversely affects the mental or physical health or safetyof the student.
  3.  Any activity involving the consumption of any alcoholicbeverage, drug, tobacco product or any other food, liquid, or substancethat subjects the student to an unreasonable risk of harm or thatadversely affects the mental or physical health or safety of thestudent.
  4. Any activity that intimidates or threatens the student withostracism, that subjects a student to extreme mental stress,embarrassment, shame or humiliation, that adversely affects the mentalhealth or dignity of the student or discourages the student fromremaining in school.
  5.  Any activity that causes or requires the student to performa task that involves violation of state or federal law or of schooldistrict policies or regulations.

    B. “Student organization” means a group, club ororganization having students as its primary members or participants. Itincludes grade levels, classes, teams, activities or particular schoolevents. A student organization does not have to be an official schoolorganization to come within the terms of this definition.

IV.   REPORTING PROCEDURES               
  1. A. Any person who believes he or she has been thevictim of hazing or any person with knowledge or belief of conductwhich may constitute hazing shall report the alleged acts immediatelyto an appropriate school district official designated by this policy.
               
  2. B.The building principal is the person responsible for receiving reportsof hazing at the building level. Any person may report hazing directlyto a school district human rights officer or to thesuperintendent           
  3. C.Teachers, administrators, volunteers, contractors and other employeesof the school district shall be particularly alert to possiblesituations, circumstances or events which might include hazing. Anysuch person who receives a report of, observes, or has other knowledgeor belief of conduct which may constitute hazing, shall inform thebuilding principal immediately.          
  4. D. Submission of a good faithcomplaint or report of hazing will not affect the complainant orreporter’s future employment, grades or work assignments.
                     
V.   SCHOOL DISTRICT ACTION               
  1. Upon receipt of a complaint or report of hazing, theschool district shall undertake or authorize an investigation by schooldistrict officials or a third party designated by the school district.
                                
  2. The school district may takeimmediate steps, at its discretion, to protect the complainant,reporter, students, or others pending completion of an investigation ofhazing.
                                 
  3. Uponcompletion of the investigation, the school district will takeappropriate action. Such action may include, but is not limited to,warning, suspension, exclusion, expulsion, transfer, remediation,termination or discharge. Disciplinary consequences will besufficiently severe to deter violations and to appropriately disciplineprohibited behavior. School district action taken for violation of thispolicy will be consistent with the requirements of applicablecollective bargaining agreements, applicable statutory authority,including the Minnesota Pupil Fair Dismissal Act, school districtpolicies and regulations.       


VI.   REPRISAL
The school district will discipline or take appropriate action againstany student, teacher, administrator, volunteer, contractor or otheremployee of the school district who retaliates against any person whomakes a good faith report of alleged hazing or against any person whotestifies, assists, or participates in an investigation, or against anyperson who testifies, assists or participates in a proceeding orhearing relating to such hazing. Retaliation includes, but is notlimited to, any form of intimidation, reprisal, or harassment.

VII.   DISSEMINATION OF POLICY
This policy shall appear in each school’s student handbook and in each school’s building and staff handbooks.

CROSS REFERENCES:
Policy #506.02 Students/Discipline
Policy #413.00 Racial Harassment and Racial Bias