Adoption Date: 10/3/2024 Revisions History: 4/17/2025 South Hadley Public Schools will respond promptly to any reports or complaints of discrimination, including harassment and retaliation, or other violations of civil rights, pursuant to our detailed response protocol. Where it is determined that discrimination or harassment has occurred, South Hadley Public Schools will act promptly to eliminate the conduct and will impose developmentally- appropriate disciplinary, restorative, and/or corrective action. Any member of the school community who is found, after investigation, to have engaged in any form of discrimination, including harassment or retaliation, against another member of the school community, will be subject to consequences determined appropriate by the administration. Such consequences may include restorative measures and corrective action, and/or student discipline or staff disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment. Definitions "Discrimination" and "Harassment" are defined as unwelcome conduct, whether verbal or physical, that is based on any individual´s actual or perceived race*, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, disability, age, genetic information, active military/veteran status, marital status, familial status, pregnancy or pregnancy-related conditions, homelessness, ancestry, ethnic background, national origin, or any other category protected by state or federal law. Discrimination and/or harassment includes, but is not limited to: • Display or circulation of written materials or pictures that are degrading to a person or group described above. • Verbal abuse or insults about, directed at, or made in the presence of, an individual or group described above. • Any action or speech that contributes to, promotes or results in a hostile or discriminatory environment to an individual or group described above • Any action or speech that is sufficiently severe, pervasive or persistent that it either (i) interferes with or limits the ability of an individual or group described above to participate in or benefit from employment or a program or activity of South Hadley Public Schools; or (ii) creates an intimidating, threatening or abusive educational or working environment. Harassment may include, but is not limited to, any unwelcome, inappropriate, or illegal physical, written, verbal, graphic, or electronic conduct, and that has the intent or effect of creating a hostile education or work environment by limiting the ability of an individual to participate in or benefit from the district´s programs and activities or by unreasonably interfering with that individual´s education or work environment or, if the conduct were to persist, would likely create a hostile educational or work environment. “Title IX Sexual Harassment” (effective August 14, 2020) means verbal, physical or other conduct that targets a person based on their sex, and that satisfies one or more of the following: ● A school employee conditioning educational benefits or services on participation in unwelcome sexual conduct (i.e., quid pro quo); ● Any unwelcome conduct that a reasonable person would find so severe, pervasive, and objectively offensive that it effectively denies a person equal access to the school’s educational program of activity; ● Any instance of “sexual assault”, “dating violence”, “domestic violent”, or “stalking”, as those terms are defined by the Clery Act (20 U.S.C. 1092 (f)(6)(A)(v)) and the Violence Against Women Act (34 U.S.C. 12291 (a)(8), (10) & (30)0. Allegations of Title IX Sexual Harassment shall be reported and investigated pursuant to the South Hadley Public Schools Protocol for Investigating Sexual Harassment and Retaliation Pursuant to Title IX. Resources The following individual is designated as the District ADA, Title VII, Title IX, and Sexual Harassment Coordinator, and Grievance Officer for the School Committee, administration, faculty, staff, volunteers in the schools, and for parties who are contracted to perform work for the South Hadley Public Schools, and can be reached at: Jennifer Voyik – Assistant Superintendent 116 Main Street, South Hadley, MA 01075 413-538-5057 The following individual is designated as the District ADA, Title VI, Title IX, and Sexual Harassment and Civil Rights Coordinator for students in the South Hadley Public Schools, and can be reached at: Jennifer Voyik – Assistant Superintendent 116 Main Street, South Hadley, MA 01075 413-538-5057 The Director of Student Services is the District 504 Coordinator, and can be reached at: Elizabeth Cooke – Director of Student Services 116 Main Street, South Hadley, MA 01075 413-538-5060 Inquiries concerning the South Hadley Public Schools´ policies and protocols, compliance with applicable laws, statutes, and regulations, and complaints may also be directed to the Assistant Superintendent. Inquiries about laws, statutes, regulations and compliance may also be directed to the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education or the Office for Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Education, 5 Post Office Square, 8th Floor, Suite 900, Boston, MA 02109; (617) 289-0111; Email: [email protected]; Website: www.ed.gov/ocr *race to include traits historically associated with race, including, but not limited to, hair texture, hair type, hair length and protective hairstyles. Policy References: LEGAL REFS.: Title VI, Civil Rights Act of 1964 Title VII, Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended by the Equal Employment Opportunity Act of 1972 Executive Order 11246, as amended by E.O. 11375 Equal Pay Act, as amended by the Education Amendments of 1972 Title IX Education Amendments of 1972 Rehabilitation Act of 1973 Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975 No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, 20 U.S.C. § 7905 (The Boy Scouts of America Equal Access Act) M.G.L. 71B:1 et seq. (Chapter 766 of the Acts of 1972) Acts of 2022, Chapter 117 https://malegislature.gov/Laws/SessionLaws/Acts/2022/Chapter117 CROSS REF: ACE, Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Disability ACAB, Sexual Harassment GBA, Equal Employment Opportunity IJ, Instructional Materials JB, Equal Educational Opportunities ACGA, Civil Rights Grievance Procedure ACGB, Title IX Sexual Discrimination Grievance Procedure SOURCE: MASC August 2022 Note: January 2025 - Reverted back to 2022 policy after Federal Court Ruling on Title IX