AC-R-6 – Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Ethnicity and Race

A learning and working environment free from racial and ethnic harassment and intimidation shall be provided for all staff members and students regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, or national origin.

It shall be a violation of Board Policy AC, as well as federal and state law for any staff member or student to harass or intimidate any other staff member or a student because of that person's race, color, religion, ancestry, or national origin.

Individuals or groups are in violation of Policy AC if, on school grounds, at school-sanctioned activities, or in vehicles dispatched by the District, they:

1.  Make demeaning remarks directly or indirectly, (whether written or oral), including epithets, slurs, insults, name-calling, and racial “jokes” based on a person’s race, color, religion, ancestry, or national origin which are addressed to an individual or group of individuals.
2. Threaten with physical harm or actually harm a person on the basis of that person’s race, color, religion, ancestry, or national origin.
3. Display written or visual material or deface school property or materials in such a manner as to demean the race, color, religion, ancestry, or national origin of an individual or group.
4. Damage, deface, or destroy private property of any person on the basis of that person’s race, color, religion, ancestry, or national origin.
5. Commit other acts of harassment or intimidation that may be in violation of the Colorado’s Criminal Code if, with the intent to intimidate or harass another person, in whole or part, because of that person’s actual or perceived race, color, ancestry, or national origin, an individual engages in the following actions:
   1. Conduct which knowingly causes bodily injury to another person;
   2. Conduct or words which knowingly places another person in fear of imminent lawless action directed at that person or that person’s property and such conduct or words are likely to produce bodily injury to that person or damage to that person’s property; or
   3. Conduct which knowingly causes damage to or destruction of the property of another person.

 Students or staff members who believe that they have been the subject of racial or ethnic intimidation or harassing or discriminatory behavior shall report the incident immediately to an administrator or a designee for investigation.  Staff may also make such reports to the Office of Human Resources for investigation.  Confidentiality regarding all reports shall be maintained whenever possible.  Reports about racial or ethnic intimidation or harassment or discriminatory behavior shall be investigated in a prompt and timely manner by an administrator or the administrator’s designee, the Office of Human Resources, or an outside designee, as appropriate.  Further action may also include reporting the incident to law enforcement authorities.

Any student who is found to be in violation of Policy AC by engaging in conduct described above may be required to attend a meeting with the student’s parent(s) and/or guardian(s) and an administrator or designee to clarify school expectations of the student’s behavior.  The student shall be subject to appropriate disciplinary action, including expulsion, as appropriate.

Any staff member who violates Policy AC by engaging in conduct described above and/or who witnesses and fails to report conduct as described above will be subject to appropriate disciplinary action.

Originally Approved by Superintendent Monte C. Moses, November 8, 1999.

Current Revision:        May 13, 2024