|  | | 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
- No student, teacher, administrator, volunteer,
contractor or other employee of the school district shall plan, direct,
encourage, aid or engage in hazing.
- No teacher,
administrator, volunteer, contractor or other employee of the school
district shall permit, condone or tolerate hazing.
-
Apparent permission or consent by a person being hazed does not lessen
the prohibitions contained in this policy.
- This policy applies to behavior that occurs on or off school property and during or after school hours.
-
A person who engages in an act that violates school policy or law in
order to be initiated into or affiliated with a student organization
shall be subject to discipline for that act.
- The
school district will act to investigate all complaints of hazing and
will discipline or take appropriate action against any student,
teacher, administrator, volunteer, contractor, or other employee of the
school district who is found to have violated this policy.
III. DEFINITIONS
A. “Hazing” means committing an act against a
student, or coercing a student into committing an act, that creates a
substantial risk of harm to a person, in order for the student to be
initiated into or affiliated with a student organization, or for any
other purpose. The term hazing includes, but is not limited to:
- Any type of physical brutality such as whipping, beating,
striking, branding, electronic shocking or placing a harmful substance
on the body.
- Any type of physical activity such as sleep deprivation, exposure
to weather, confinement in a restricted area, calisthenics or
other activity that subjects the student to an unreasonable risk of
harm or that adversely affects the mental or physical health or safety
of the student.
- Any activity involving the consumption of any alcoholic
beverage, drug, tobacco product or any other food, liquid, or substance
that subjects the student to an unreasonable risk of harm or that
adversely affects the mental or physical health or safety of the
student.
- Any activity that intimidates or threatens the student with
ostracism, that subjects a student to extreme mental stress,
embarrassment, shame or humiliation, that adversely affects the mental
health or dignity of the student or discourages the student from
remaining in school.
- Any activity that causes or requires the student to perform
a task that involves violation of state or federal law or of school
district policies or regulations.
B. “Student organization” means a group, club or
organization having students as its primary members or participants. It
includes grade levels, classes, teams, activities or particular school
events. A student organization does not have to be an official school
organization to come within the terms of this definition.
IV. REPORTING PROCEDURES
- A. Any person who believes he or she has been the
victim of hazing or any person with knowledge or belief of conduct
which may constitute hazing shall report the alleged acts immediately
to an appropriate school district official designated by this policy.
- B.
The building principal is the person responsible for receiving reports
of hazing at the building level. Any person may report hazing directly
to a school district human rights officer or to the
superintendent
- C.
Teachers, administrators, volunteers, contractors and other employees
of the school district shall be particularly alert to possible
situations, circumstances or events which might include hazing. Any
such person who receives a report of, observes, or has other knowledge
or belief of conduct which may constitute hazing, shall inform the
building principal immediately.
- D. Submission of a good faith
complaint or report of hazing will not affect the complainant or
reporter’s future employment, grades or work assignments.
V. SCHOOL DISTRICT ACTION
- Upon receipt of a complaint or report of hazing, the
school district shall undertake or authorize an investigation by school
district officials or a third party designated by the school district.
- The school district may take
immediate steps, at its discretion, to protect the complainant,
reporter, students, or others pending completion of an investigation of
hazing.
- Upon
completion of the investigation, the school district will take
appropriate action. Such action may include, but is not limited to,
warning, suspension, exclusion, expulsion, transfer, remediation,
termination or discharge. Disciplinary consequences will be
sufficiently severe to deter violations and to appropriately discipline
prohibited behavior. School district action taken for violation of this
policy will be consistent with the requirements of applicable
collective bargaining agreements, applicable statutory authority,
including the Minnesota Pupil Fair Dismissal Act, school district
policies and regulations.
VI. REPRISAL
The school district will discipline or take appropriate action against
any student, teacher, administrator, volunteer, contractor or other
employee of the school district who retaliates against any person who
makes a good faith report of alleged hazing or against any person who
testifies, assists, or participates in an investigation, or against any
person who testifies, assists or participates in a proceeding or
hearing relating to such hazing. Retaliation includes, but is not
limited 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
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