- School employees must intervene in ongoing civil rights violations and episodes of wrongful harassment whenever witnessed or reported, to the extent intervention can be done safely. School employees must report a civil rights violation or episode of wrongful harassment to the school civil rights administrator. Designated administrators must intervene in ongoing matters of civil rights violations and episodes of wrongful harassment, summoning assistance as necessary.
- The primary objective of school intervention in a civil rights matter is to put a swift end to, and prevent any recurrence of, any wrongful conduct, so as to ensure the safety of all students and a school environment free of wrongful harassment and civil rights violations. Intervention should be undertaken immediately, as needed on a short-term basis, and more comprehensively once a civil rights violation has been found to have occurred. The school will take all necessary steps within its authority to implement the objective of stopping continuing civil rights violations and wrongful harassment, and restoring and preserving an environment free of such conduct.
- Effective, and if need be escalating, measures should be used to definitively stop harassment and violence. School officials should immediately consider and use regular administrative actions to defuse a civil rights situation wherever possible: separating victim or complainant and offender, ordering the offender to stay away from the victim, or assigning additional security. Relevant school disciplinary hearings should begin and proceed on an expedited basis where there is a threat of ongoing interference with civil rights. Disciplinary action appropriate to the offender’s conduct should be taken when a violation is found. Potential criminal conduct should be reported to law enforcement, and legal remedies pursued as necessary to protect civil rights.
Return to the Civil Rights and Non-Discrimination Notice Handbook