File:  AC

NONDISCRIMINATION POLICY INCLUDING HARASSMENT AND RETALIATION 

The Franklin School Committee and Franklin Public Schools are committed to maintaining an education and work environment for all school community members that is free from all forms of discrimination, including harassment and retaliation. The members of the school community include the School Committee, employees, administration, faculty, staff, students, volunteers in the schools, and parties contracted to perform work for the Franklin Public Schools.

Franklin Public Schools does not exclude from participation, deny the benefits of Franklin Public Schools from or otherwise discriminate against, individuals on the basis of race*, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, sex stereotypes, sex characteristics, religion, disability, age, genetic information, active military/veteran status, marital status, familial status, pregnancy, or pregnancy-related condition, homelessness, ancestry, ethnic background, national origin, or any other category protected by state or federal law in the administration of its educational and employment policies, or in its programs and activities.

This commitment to the community is affirmed by the following statements that the School Committee commits to:

1. Promoting the rights and responsibilities of all individuals as set forth in the State and Federal Constitutions, pertinent Legislation, and applicable judicial interpretations.

2. Encouraging positive experiences in human values for children, youths, and adults, all of whom have differing personal and family characteristics and who come from various socioeconomic, racial, and ethnic groups.

3. Working toward a more integrated society and enlisting the support of individuals as well as groups and agencies, both private and governmental, in such an effort.

4. Using all appropriate communication and action techniques to air and address the grievances of individuals and groups.

5. Carefully consider, in all decisions made within the school district, the potential benefits or adverse consequences that those decisions might have on human relations.

6. Initiating a process of reviewing policies and practices of the school district in order to achieve to the Greatest extent possible the objectives of this statement.

The Franklin Public Schools require all members of the school community to conduct themselves in accordance with this policy. The School Committee's policy extends to students, staff, the general public, and individuals with whom it does business.

It shall be a violation of this policy for any member of the school community to engage in any form of discrimination, including harassment and retaliation, or to violate any other civil right of any member of the school community. We recognize that discrimination can take a range of forms and can be targeted or unintentional; however, discrimination in any form, including harassment and retaliation, will not be tolerated.

It shall also be a violation of this policy for any school community member to subject any other member of the school community to any form of retaliation, including, but not limited to, coercion, intimidation, interference, punishment, discrimination, or harassment, for reporting or filing a complaint of discrimination, cooperating in an investigation, aiding or encouraging another member of the school community to report such conduct or file a complaint, or opposing any act or practice reasonably believed to be prohibited by this policy.

Violations of this policy will be handled as outlined in the FPS Civil Rights Grievance Procedure. The Civil Rights Grievance Procedure will be reviewed annually by members of the Franklin Public Schools administrative team. The Superintendent, or their designee, will provide annual training to all administrators on the Civil Rights Grievance Procedures.

*race to include traits historically associated with race, including, but not limited to, hair texture, hair type, hair length and protective hairstyles.

For more information regarding the Franklin Public Schools Compliance Officers please visit https://core-docs.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/documents/asset/uploaded_file/4780/FPSD/4487814/Liaisons_Compliance_Officers.pdf

LEGAL REFS:  

Title VI, Civil Rights Act of 1964

Title VII, Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended by the Equal Employment

Opportunity Act of 1972 Executive Order 11246, as amended by E.O. 11375

Equal Pay Act, as amended by the Education Amendments of 1972 Title IX,

Education Amendments of 1972

Rehabilitation Act of 1973

Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975

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

M.G.L. 71B:1 et seq. (Chapter 766 of the Acts of 1972)

Acts of 2022, Chapter 117

- https://malegislature.gov/Laws/SessionLaws/Acts/2022/Chapter117

CROSS REF:    

ACE, Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Disability

ACAB, Sexual Harassment

GBA, Equal Employment Opportunity

IJ, Instructional Materials

JB, Equal Educational Opportunities

SOURCE:  MASC July 2024

UPDATED:  June 2012

Reviewed, Revised, Adopted by School Committee: 1/10/2020

Reviewed, Revised, Adopted by School Committee: 9/13/2022

Reviewed, Revised, Adopted by School Committee: 10/22/24

Reviewed, no revisions: 3/11/25