Section:0000 Philosophy
Policy Name: Nondiscrimination
Policy Number:0521
Date Approved:5/12/2014
Last Revised:4/16/2018

The District shall promote nondiscrimination and an environment free of harassment based on an individual's race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, national origin, ancestry, disability, (including, but not limited to, intellectual disability, past or present history of mental disorder, physical disability or learning disability), genetic information, marital status or age or because of the race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, disability, genetic information, marital status or age of any other persons with whom the individual associates, or status as a Veteran.

The District provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups.

In keeping with requirements of federal and state law, the District strives to remove any vestige of discrimination in employment, assignment and promotion of personnel; in educational opportunities and services offered to students; in student assignment to schools and classes; in student discipline; in location and use of facilities; in educational offerings and materials; and in accommodating the public at public meetings.

The Board encourages staff to improve human relationships within the schools and to establish channels through which citizens can communicate their concerns to the administration and the Board.

The Superintendent shall appoint and make known the individuals to contact on issues concerning the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1974, Title VI, Title VII, Title IX and other civil rights or discrimination issues. The Board will adopt and the District will publish grievance procedures providing for prompt and equitable resolution of student and employee complaints.

Federal civil rights laws prohibit discrimination against an individual because he/she has opposed any discrimination act or practice or because that person has filed a charge, testified, assisted or participated in an investigation, proceeding or hearing. ADA further prohibits anyone from coercing, intimidating, threatening or interfering with an individual for exercising the rights guaranteed under the Act.

(cf. 4111 – Recruitment and Selection)

(cf. 4111.1/4211.1 – Affirmative Action)

(cf. 4118.11 – Nondiscrimination)

(cf. 4118.111 – Grievance Procedure-Title IX)

(cf. 4118.113/4218.113 – Harassment)

(cf. 5145.4 – Nondiscrimination)

(cf. 5145.5 – Sexual Harassment)

(cf. 5145.51 – Peer Sexual Harassment)

(cf. 5145.52 – Harassment)

(cf. 5145.6 – Student Grievance Procedure)

(cf. 6121 – Nondiscrimination)

(cf. 6121.1 – Equal Educational Opportunity)

Legal Reference:

Title VII, Civil Rights Act, 42 U.S.C. 2000e, et seq.

29 CFR 1604.11, EEOC Guidelines on Sex Discrimination.

Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972, 20 U.S.C. 1681 et seq.

34 CFR Section 106.8(b), OCR Guidelines for Title IX.

Definitions, OCR Guidelines on Sexual Harassment, Fed. Reg. Vol. 62, #49, 29 CFR Sec. 1606.8 (a0 62 Fed Reg. 12033 (March 13, 1997) and 66 Fed. Reg. 5512 (January 19, 2001)

20 U.S.C. 7905 (Boy Scouts of America Equal Access Act contained in No Child Left Behind Act of 2001)

Meritor Savings Bank. FSB v. Vinson, 477 U.S. 57 (1986)

Faragher v. City of Boca Raton, No. 97-282 (U.S. Supreme Court, June 26, 1998)

Gebbser v. Lago Vista Indiana School District, No. 99-1866, (U.S. Supreme Court, June 26,1998)

Davis v. Monro County Board of Education, No. 97-843, (U.S. Supreme Court, May 24, 1999.)

The Vietnam Era Veterans' Readjustment Act of 1974, as amended, 38U.S.C. §4212

Title II of the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008

Connecticut General Statutes:

46a‑60 Discriminatory employment practices prohibited.

10-15c Discrimination in public schools prohibited. School attendance by five-year olds. (Amended by P.A. 97-247 to include "sexual orientation" and P.A. 11-55 to include "gender identity or expression")

10-153 Discrimination on account of marital status.

17a-101 Protection of children from abuse.

The Americans with Disabilities Act as amended by the ADA Amendments Act of 2008

Public Law 111-256

Meacham v. Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory 128 S.Ct. 2395, 76 U.S.L.W. 4488 (2008)

Federal Express Corporation v. Holowecki 128 S.Ct. 1147, 76 U.S.L.W. 4110 (2008)

Kentucky Retirement Systems v. EEOC 128 S.Ct. 2361, 76 U.S.L.W. 4503 (2008)

Sprint/United Management Co. v. Mendelsohn 128 S.Ct. 1140, 76 U.S.L.W. 4107 (2008)