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Dignity Act Basics

An Overview and Training for the New York State Dignity For All Students Act (Dignity Act) New York State Education Law Article 2 ( effective July 1, 2012 ). Dignity Act Basics. Signed into law September 13, 2010 Takes effect July 1, 2012

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Dignity Act Basics

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  1. An Overview and Trainingfor theNew York StateDignity For All Students Act(Dignity Act) New York State Education LawArticle 2(effective July 1, 2012)

  2. Dignity Act Basics • Signed into law September 13, 2010 • Takes effect July 1, 2012 • Addresses issues related to harassment and discrimination in schools – including amendments to codes of conduct • Amended State Education Law by creating a new Article 2 – Dignity for All Students • Amended Section 801-a of State Education Law regarding instruction in civility, citizenship, and character education by expanding the concepts of tolerance, respectfor others and dignity

  3. No student shall be subjected to harassment, discrimination, or bullying by employees orstudents

  4. No student shall be subjected to discrimination based on actualorperceived : • race • color • weight • national origin • ethnic group • religion • religious practice • disability • sexual orientation • gender, or • sex

  5. What sites and events are covered by the Dignity Act? • The Dignity Act applies to all public schools, BOCES, and charter schools.* • The Dignity Act applies to incidents on school property (in a school building, athletic playing field, playground, parking lot, school bus, field trips, or any school sponsored event) • The Dignity Act applies to public school functions (school extra curricular events or activities)

  6. Current State-Level Activities • DRAFT Regulatory Amendments Under Revision • 8 NYCRR 100.2 (c): Instruction in Instruction In Civility, Citizenship, and Character Education • 8 NYCRR 100.2(l): Code of Conduct • DRAFT Regulation in Development(NEW) • 8 NYCRR 100.2 (jj): Dignity Act Professional Development

  7. Current State-Level Activities Amendment to section 100.2(c) of the Commissioner's Regulations, Relating To Instruction In Civility, Citizenship and Character Education www.regents.nysed.gov/meetings/2012Meetings/January2012/112p12d2.pdf

  8. Current State-Level Activities The amendment revises provisions relating to courses of instruction in civility, citizenship and character education, pursuant to § 801-a to ensure compliance with the Dignity Act, which provides that instruction on "tolerance", "respectfor others" and "dignity" shall include awareness and sensitivity to discrimination or harassment and civility in relating to people of different – races, weights, national origins, ethnic groups, religions, religious practices, mental or physical abilities, sexual orientations, and sexes. * Section 801-a does not apply to Charter Schools

  9. Current State-Level Activities Amendment to section 100.2(l) of the Commissioner's Regulations, Relating To Codes of Conduct www.regents.nysed.gov/meetings/2012Meetings/January2012/112p12d1.pdf

  10. Current State-Level Activities • The amendment requires codes of conduct to include: • provisions prohibiting discrimination and harassment against any student by employees or students on school property or at a school function that creates a hostile environment by conduct, with or without physical contact and/or by verbal threats, intimidation or abuse of such a severe nature that:

  11. Current State-Level Activities • has or would have the effect of unreasonably and substantially interfering with a student's educational performance, opportunities or benefits, or mental, emotional and/or physical well-being; or • reasonably causes or would reasonably be expected to cause a student to fear for his or her physical safety. Such conduct shall include, but is not limited to, threats, intimidation or abuse based on a person's actual or perceived race, color, weight, national origin, ethnic group, religion, religious practices, disability, sexual orientation, gender, or sex;

  12. Current State-Level Activities • Each board of education and board of cooperative educational services shall ensure community awareness of its code of conduct by: • posting the complete code of conduct, respectively, on the Internet web site of the school or school district, or of the board of cooperative educational services, including any annual updates to the code… • At GCCS we will have periodic meetings throughout the year

  13. Current State-Level Activities Addition of Section 100.2(jj) to Commissioner's Regulations, Relating To School Employee Training and the Dignity Act www.regents.nysed.gov/meetings/2012Meetings/February2012/212p12d1.pdf

  14. School Employee Training Key goals of the school employee training program are to: • raise the awareness and sensitivity to potential acts of discrimination and harassment directed at students that are committed by students or school employees on school property or at a school function • enable employees to prevent and respond to incidents of discrimination and harassment • raise employee’s awareness and understanding of the Code of Conduct

  15. School Dignity Act Coordinator • Article 2 of Education Law includes a requirement that at least one employee at every school (Dignity Act Coordinator) be thoroughly trained in methods to respond to human relations in the areas of: Dignity Act Coordinator - Kathryn Allen Dignity Act Committee – Kathryn Allen, Dawn Bialkowski, and Daniel Ringuette race, color,weight,national origin, ethnic group, religion,religious practice,disability,sexual orientation,gender, andsex

  16. (I)Review and revise current district policies and procedures to ensure compliance with federal Civil Rights and U.S. Department of Education statutes and regulations address which address peer harassment based onrace, color, national origin, sex, or disability.At GCCS this has been completed and the revised policy is on the website.

  17. U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights Dear Colleague Letter Harassment and Bullying (October 26, 2010) Background, Summary, and Fast Facts www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/dcl-factsheet-201010.pdf

  18. Review the October 2010 letter to schools from the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/letters/colleague-201010.pdf

  19. Statutes enforced by the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights • Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin. • Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex. • Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, which prohibit discrimination on the basis of a disability www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/dcl-factsheet-201010.pdf

  20. Dignity Act and Incident Reporting § 15. Reporting to the Commissioner The commissioner shall create a procedure under which material incidents of discrimination and harassment on school grounds or at a school function are reported to the department at least on an annual basis. A new VADIR process will be issued in September and in effect by October 2012

  21. The Dignity Act: School Climate & Culturewww.p12.nysed.gov/sss/sedl www.regents.nysed.gov/meetings/2011Meetings/July2011/711p12a6-revised.pdf

  22. The Dignity Act: School Climate & Culturewww.p12.nysed.gov/sss/sedl www.p12.nysed.gov/sss/sedl/SEDLguidelines.pdf The purpose in issuing voluntary Social and Emotional Development and Learning (SEDL) Guidelines is to offer school districts compelling information, example and evidence of SEDL in elementary and secondary school education programs. The Guidelines and accompanying resources seek to persuade school leaders, faculties, planning teams and parents that social and emotional development and learning is within reach through a range of approaches that serve as entry points and avenues for expansion.

  23. This has been placed in the DASA folder on the “O” drive http://regions.adl.org/new-york/pdfs/npfh-ny-resource-guide.pdf

  24. Where Can Schools Get More Information on the Dignity Act? • NYS Education Department • DASA@mail.nysed.gov • 518-486-6090 • www.p12.nysed.gov/dignityact • NYS Center for School Safety • scss@ulsterboces.org • 845-255-8989 • www.facebook.com/dignityact

  25. Staff Responsibility Protect Students & Protect Yourself • Record Keeping – Use the log sheets provided • Follow the process • PreK- 6 • 7-12 • Bus • Document all programs that we are doing in our school. • Weekly lessons planned on specific topics through out the year • Assemblies planned to address the issues

  26. Staff Responsibilities Continued • Pay attention to “Hot spots” in our school - • Cafeteria, Halls, Locker Rooms, Bathrooms, Assemblies • Locker Room training – Clear expectations for behavior • Beware of the “we’re friends” cover • Teach Tattling vs. Telling – eliminate the word tattling • Make phone calls to parents – “The first phone call wins” • Faculty Share has guidelines and forms • There is a complaint form for parents to use that Administration will also use with students • School-wide weekly instruction topics

  27. Reporting Protocol - Prek- 6* • Log form • 1st incident, talk to student , target,and bystander, call parents • 2nd incident, talk to student, target, and bystander, call parent, assign a recess detention • 3rd incident, talk to student, target, and bystander, call parent, assign two recess detentions. • 4th incident, report to DASA Coordinator • Report on the same day as incident • Log forms are turned in quarterly with grades * Each incident must be assessed within the framework of the Student Code of Conduct

  28. Reporting Protocol – 7-12* • Log form • 1st incident, talk to student , target, and bystander, call parents • DASA Coordinator will track subsequent incidents and provide progressive discipline. • Email to DASA Coordinator • Follow this procedure for each subsequent incident , adding to the log form. • Log forms are turned into DASA Coordinator quarterly when grades are due * Each incident must be assessed within the framework of the Student Code of Conduct

  29. Reporting Protocol – Bus * • Log form • 1st incident, talk to student , target, and bystander • Email or call DASA Coordinator • DASA Coordinator will call parents and track subsequent incidents and provide progressive discipline. • Follow this procedure for each subsequent incident adding to the log form. • Log forms are turned into DASA Coordinator quarterly when grades are due * Each incident must be assessed within the framework of the Student Code of Conduct

  30. Student Responsibilities • Read and Understand Students Rights and Responsibilities Section 7410;III of the Code of Conduct

  31. GCCS Topics for Instruction - Weekly • Topics will be on the weekly calendar and on morning announcements • Weekly lesson for all students • Document -Print attendance sheet/roster with lesson topic to document student training. • Hand in quarterly to DASA Coordinator

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