NYC DOE Respect for All & Sexual Harassment Policies
Implementing Respect For All
The New York City Department of Education (NYCDOE) is committed to ensuring that our schools are safe, secure, and orderly environments, in which teaching and learning take place each day whether in person in a school building or in a remote learning setting. Documents providing schools with further guidance for supports, interventions, and behavioral expectations can be found here.
If we lack respect for one group, then there is a tendency for that attitude to spread. It becomes infectious and no one becomes safe from the ravages of prejudice." -Walter Annenberg “When I dare to be powerful — to use my strength in the service of my vision, then it becomes less and less important whether I am afraid.” —Audre Lorde, Writer, Feminist, Womanist, Librarian, and Civil Rights Activist
No student shall be subjected to harassment, bullying, or intimidation, including cyberbullying, by employees or students on school property or at a school function or off school property where such acts create or would foreseeably create a risk of substantial disruption within the school environment or where it is foreseeable that the conduct, threats, intimidation or abuse might reach school property; nor shall any student be subjected to discrimination based on actual or perceived race, color, weight, national origin, ethnic group, religion, religious practice, disability, sexual orientation,
gender, or sex by school employees or students. Dignity for All Students Act (Dignity Act) effective July 1, 2013 (summarizing prohibited conduct) School culture and climate have a profound effect on students’ academic achievement and behavior. The ability of students to learn and meet high academic standards and a school’s ability to educate its students are compromised by discrimination or harassment, including bullying, taunting and/or intimidation. Each school is expected to promote a positive school culture and climate that promotes positive interpersonal and intergroup relations and respect for diversity among students and between students and staff, by providing all students with a supportive and safe environment in which to grow and thrive both academically and socially.
The Dignity Act makes it the policy of New York State to afford all students in public schools an environment free of discrimination and harassment. The legislature finds it is vital to protect all students from harassment, bullying, cyberbullying and discrimination. Bullying, harassment and discrimination, including sexual harassment, pose a serious threat to all students, including but not limited to students targeted because of actual or perceived race, color, creed, ethnicity, national origin, citizenship/immigration status, religion, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, disability, or weight. It is imperative to protect every
student from such harm regardless of whether the student is a member of a specific protected category.
“Harassment" and “bullying" shall mean the creation of a hostile environment by conduct or by verbal threats, intimidation or abuse, including cyberbullying. If such hostile environment involves unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature, then it is sexual harassment. Chancellor’s Regulations A-830 (Anti-Discrimination Policy and Procedures for Filing Internal Complaints of Discrimination); Chancellor’s Regulation A-832 (Student-to-Student Discrimination, Harassment, Intimidation, and/or Bullying). A-831 (Student-to-Student Sexual Harassment); A-420 (Pupil Behavior and Discipline - Corporal Punishment) and A-421 (Pupil Behavior and Discipline - Verbal Abuse) set forth the DOE’s policies prohibiting discrimination and harassment by employees against students and student-on student bullying, harassment and/or intimidation, including sexual harassment, and discrimination based on an individual’s actual or perceived race, color, religion, ethnicity, national origin,
citizenship/immigration status, disability, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression or weight.
In addition, the following infraction codes in the Citywide Behavioral Expectations to Support Student Learning (The Discipline Code) prohibit students from engaging in this behavior.
See details at the website: https://www.schools.nyc.gov/school-life/school-environment/respect-for-all
All students will receive training and staff have received training.
