- Whenever a staff person witnesses, or some third party reports, a possible civil rights violation, the school’s designated civil rights administrator must be notified. The school’s civil rights designee should immediately begin an investigation. In an emergency, 911 must be called.
- A student coming forward to report a civil rights violation s/he has experienced should be directed to the school’s designated civil rights administrator, after any emergency needs are attended. Consideration should be given to whether any immediate or interim steps are necessary to ensure the safety of and avert retaliation against the complainant.
- The investigation must determine whether a civil rights violation has in fact occurred. An immediate aim of the investigation should be preservation and gathering of evidence from the scene of an incident. Bias-related graffiti should be photographed then removed. The investigator should seek to interview all victims and witnesses at the scene, or as soon thereafter as possible, then interview others who may have relevant knowledge as well. The investigation may also consist of any other methods and documents deemed relevant and useful.
- All the circumstances as found should be carefully evaluated for the presence of bias indicators that would characterize the matter as a civil rights violation. The investigation should make a finding as to whether a civil rights infraction in violation of this policy has occurred based on the definitions of wrongful conduct supplied at Section 6.
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