HARASSMENT POLICY
PROHIBITION OF HARASSMENT, INTIMIDATION, AND BULLYING RVLA is committed to a safe and civil educational environment for all scholars, employees, parent/guardians/legal guardians, volunteers, and patrons that is free from harassment, intimidation, or bullying. “Harassment, intimidation, or bullying” means any intentionally written message or image—including those that are electronically transmitted—verbal, or physical act, including but not limited to one shown to be motivated by race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, including gender expression or identity, mental or physical disability or other distinguishing characteristics, when an act:
“Other distinguishing characteristics” can include but are not limited to: physical appearance, clothing or other apparel, socioeconomic status, and weight.
“Intentional acts” refers to the individual’s choice to engage in the act rather than the ultimate impact of the action(s).
Behaviors/Expressions Harassment, intimidation, or bullying can take many forms including, but not limited to slurs, rumors, jokes, innuendos, demeaning comments, drawings, cartoons, pranks, gestures, physical attacks, threats or other written, oral, physical, or electronically transmitted messages or images.
This policy is not intended to prohibit expression of religious, philosophical, or political views, provided that the expression does not substantially disrupt the educational environment. Many behaviors that do not rise to the level of harassment, intimidation, or bullying may still be prohibited by other RVLA policies or building, classroom or program rules.
- Physically harms a scholar or damages the scholar’s property;
- Has the effect of substantially interfering with a scholar’s education;
- Is so severe, persistent or pervasive that it creates an intimidating or threatening educational environment;
- Has the effect of substantially disrupting the orderly operation of the school.
“Other distinguishing characteristics” can include but are not limited to: physical appearance, clothing or other apparel, socioeconomic status, and weight.
“Intentional acts” refers to the individual’s choice to engage in the act rather than the ultimate impact of the action(s).
Behaviors/Expressions Harassment, intimidation, or bullying can take many forms including, but not limited to slurs, rumors, jokes, innuendos, demeaning comments, drawings, cartoons, pranks, gestures, physical attacks, threats or other written, oral, physical, or electronically transmitted messages or images.
This policy is not intended to prohibit expression of religious, philosophical, or political views, provided that the expression does not substantially disrupt the educational environment. Many behaviors that do not rise to the level of harassment, intimidation, or bullying may still be prohibited by other RVLA policies or building, classroom or program rules.
SEXUAL HARASSMENT
RVLA is committed to a positive and productive education and working environment free from discrimination, including sexual harassment. RVLA prohibits sexual harassment of scholars, employees and others involved in school activities.
Sexual harassment occurs when:
Sexual harassment can occur adult to scholar, scholar to adult, scholar to scholar, adult to adult, male to female, female to male, male to male and female to female.
RVLA will take prompt, equitable and remedial action within its authority on reports, complaints and grievances alleging sexual harassment that come to the attention of RVLA, either formally or informally. Allegations of criminal misconduct will be reported to law enforcement and suspected child abuse will be reported to law enforcement or Child Protective Services. Persons found to have been subjected to sexual harassment will have appropriate services made reasonably available to them and adverse consequences of the harassment will be reviewed and remedied, as appropriate.
Engaging in sexual harassment will result in appropriate discipline or other appropriate sanctions against offending scholars, staff and contractors. Anyone else who engages in sexual harassment on schoolproperty or at school activities will have their access to school property and activities restricted, as appropriate. Retaliation against any person who makes or is a witness in a sexual harassment complaint is prohibited and will result in appropriate discipline. RVLA will take appropriate actions to protect involved persons from retaliation.
It is a violation of this policy to knowingly report false allegations of sexual harassment. Persons found to knowingly report or corroborate false allegations will be subject to appropriate discipline.
The principal will develop and implement formal and informal procedures for receiving, investigating and resolving complaints or reports of sexual harassment. The procedures will include reasonable and prompt time lines and delineate staff responsibilities under this policy. All staff are responsible for receiving informal complaints and reports of sexual harassment and informing appropriate personnel of the complaint or report for investigation and resolution. All staff are also responsible for directing complainants to the formal complaint process. RVLA will develop procedures to provide age-appropriate information and education to staff, scholars, parent/guardians and volunteers regarding this policy and the recognition and prevention of sexual harassment. At a minimum sexual harassment recognition and prevention and the elements of this policy will be included in staff, scholar and regular volunteer orientation. This policy will be posted in each RVLA building in a place available to staff, scholars, parent/guardians, volunteers and visitors. The policy will be reproduced in each scholar, staff, volunteer and parent/guardian handbook.
RVLA will make an annual report to the board reviewing the use and efficacy of this policy and related procedures. Recommendations for changes to this policy, if applicable, will be included in the report. The superintendent is encouraged to involve staff, scholars, and volunteers and parent/guardians in the review process. Training This policy is a component of RVLA’s responsibility to create and maintain a safe, civil, respectful, and inclusive learning community and shall be implemented in conjunction with comprehensive training of scholars, staff and volunteers.
Prevention
RVLA will provide scholars with strategies aimed at preventing harassment, intimidation, and bullying. In its efforts to train scholars, RVLA will seek partnerships with families, law enforcement, and other community agencies.
Interventions
Interventions are designed to remediate the impact on the targeted scholar(s) and others impacted by the violation, to change the behavior of the perpetrator, and to restore a positive school climate. RVLA will consider the frequency of incidents, developmental age of the scholar,and severity of the conduct in determining intervention strategies. Interventions will range from counseling, correcting behavior and discipline, to law enforcement referrals.
Retaliation/False Allegations
Retaliation is prohibited and will result in appropriate discipline. It is a violation of this policy to threaten or harm someone for reporting harassment, intimidation, or bullying. It is also a violation of RVLA policy to knowingly report false allegations of harassment, intimidation, and bullying. Scholars or employees will not be disciplined for making a report in good faith. However, persons found to knowingly report or corroborate false allegations will be subject to appropriate discipline.
Sexual harassment occurs when:
- Submitting to the harasser's sexual demands is a stated or implied condition of obtaining an education or work opportunity or other benefit;
- Submission to or rejection of sexual demands is a factor in an academic, work or other school-related decision affecting an individual; or
- Unwelcome sexual or gender-directed conduct or communication interferes with an individual's performance or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive environment.
Sexual harassment can occur adult to scholar, scholar to adult, scholar to scholar, adult to adult, male to female, female to male, male to male and female to female.
RVLA will take prompt, equitable and remedial action within its authority on reports, complaints and grievances alleging sexual harassment that come to the attention of RVLA, either formally or informally. Allegations of criminal misconduct will be reported to law enforcement and suspected child abuse will be reported to law enforcement or Child Protective Services. Persons found to have been subjected to sexual harassment will have appropriate services made reasonably available to them and adverse consequences of the harassment will be reviewed and remedied, as appropriate.
Engaging in sexual harassment will result in appropriate discipline or other appropriate sanctions against offending scholars, staff and contractors. Anyone else who engages in sexual harassment on schoolproperty or at school activities will have their access to school property and activities restricted, as appropriate. Retaliation against any person who makes or is a witness in a sexual harassment complaint is prohibited and will result in appropriate discipline. RVLA will take appropriate actions to protect involved persons from retaliation.
It is a violation of this policy to knowingly report false allegations of sexual harassment. Persons found to knowingly report or corroborate false allegations will be subject to appropriate discipline.
The principal will develop and implement formal and informal procedures for receiving, investigating and resolving complaints or reports of sexual harassment. The procedures will include reasonable and prompt time lines and delineate staff responsibilities under this policy. All staff are responsible for receiving informal complaints and reports of sexual harassment and informing appropriate personnel of the complaint or report for investigation and resolution. All staff are also responsible for directing complainants to the formal complaint process. RVLA will develop procedures to provide age-appropriate information and education to staff, scholars, parent/guardians and volunteers regarding this policy and the recognition and prevention of sexual harassment. At a minimum sexual harassment recognition and prevention and the elements of this policy will be included in staff, scholar and regular volunteer orientation. This policy will be posted in each RVLA building in a place available to staff, scholars, parent/guardians, volunteers and visitors. The policy will be reproduced in each scholar, staff, volunteer and parent/guardian handbook.
RVLA will make an annual report to the board reviewing the use and efficacy of this policy and related procedures. Recommendations for changes to this policy, if applicable, will be included in the report. The superintendent is encouraged to involve staff, scholars, and volunteers and parent/guardians in the review process. Training This policy is a component of RVLA’s responsibility to create and maintain a safe, civil, respectful, and inclusive learning community and shall be implemented in conjunction with comprehensive training of scholars, staff and volunteers.
Prevention
RVLA will provide scholars with strategies aimed at preventing harassment, intimidation, and bullying. In its efforts to train scholars, RVLA will seek partnerships with families, law enforcement, and other community agencies.
Interventions
Interventions are designed to remediate the impact on the targeted scholar(s) and others impacted by the violation, to change the behavior of the perpetrator, and to restore a positive school climate. RVLA will consider the frequency of incidents, developmental age of the scholar,and severity of the conduct in determining intervention strategies. Interventions will range from counseling, correcting behavior and discipline, to law enforcement referrals.
Retaliation/False Allegations
Retaliation is prohibited and will result in appropriate discipline. It is a violation of this policy to threaten or harm someone for reporting harassment, intimidation, or bullying. It is also a violation of RVLA policy to knowingly report false allegations of harassment, intimidation, and bullying. Scholars or employees will not be disciplined for making a report in good faith. However, persons found to knowingly report or corroborate false allegations will be subject to appropriate discipline.
TRANSGENDER SCHOLARS
RVLA is fostering an educational environment that is safe and free of discrimination for all scholars, regardless of sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression. To that end, RVLA recognizes the importance of an inclusive approach toward transgender scholars with regard to official records, confidential health and education information, communication, restroom and locker room accessibility, sports and physical education, dress codes and other school activities, in order to provide these scholars with an equal opportunity for learning and achievement. This policy and its procedure will support that effort by facilitating district compliance with local, state and federal laws concerning harassment, intimidation, bullying and discrimination.
