School District Breakfast Briefing: Investigating and Addressing Harassment in the School Environment

November 12, 2012

By: Christa Richer Cook and Subhash Viswanathan

Agenda

8 - 8:30 a.m.
Registration and Continental Breakfast

8:30 - 10 a.m.
Program

Program Summary
With the passage of the Dignity For All Students Act (DASA), which became effective July 1, 2012, school districts are under a great deal of pressure to comply with their obligation to create school environments that are free of harassment. The recent amendments to DASA expand the scope of responsibilities to require school employees to address harassment and cyberbullying that occurs off school property.

In addition, school districts must continue to ensure that they enforce their anti-harassment policies to protect teachers, administrators and other employees from unlawful harassment. An incomplete or untimely response to incidents of harassment, whether the victim is a school employee or a student, can result in significant liability for a school district. This program will provide superintendents, business administrators, building principals, school board members, Dignity Act Coordinators and other school personnel with guidance on how to effectively respond to complaints of harassment and bullying in the school environment.

- Review of Legal Obligations
- Investigation Fundamentals
- Implementing Policies and Procedures Compliant with DASA
- Strategies for Handling Complaints of Student-On-Student Harassment
- Compliance with Obligations to Report Incidents to SED and/or Law Enforcement

Presented by Christa Richer Cook and Subhash Viswanathan