Dignity for All Students Act

1. Dignity for All Students Act Requirements for Academies and Parish Schools within the Diocese of Brooklyn

2. What is DASA? • The Dignity for All Students Act (The Dignity Act) was established to protect all students from harassment, bullying and discrimination. • It became effective on July 1, 2012 and was amended to include cyberbullying effective July 1, 2013.

3. Dignity for All Students Act (DASA) Information Prohibits bullying, harassment, discrimination, or cyberbullying against students in academy/parish school based on the following: • Race • Color • Weight • National origin • Ethnic group • Religion • Religious practice • Disability • Sexual orientation • Gender (including gender identity and expression • Sex • Other (describe)

4. Requirements of Academies/Parish Schools • Provide students, staff, and parents/guardians with information about DASA, including the identity of the DASA Coordinator. • Information is to be provided in other languages when necessary. • Policies, procedures, and guidelines that require a academy/parish school environment free from harassment, bullying, discrimination, and cyberbullying.

5. Policies • Every academy/parish school must have a designated DASA Coordinator (Should be principal or assistant principal). • Every student and parent/guardian can make a report. • Academy/parish school personnel must notify an administrator of a report within one day and file a written report no later than two days after the original report. • A thorough gathering of information must be completed promptly. • Academy/parish school must take prompt action to end harassment, bullying and/or discrimination. • Academy/parish school must develop a strategy to prevent harassment, bullying and discrimination. • Superintendent of Schools and Academies and Jasmine Salazar, Vice Chancellor are required to notify local law enforcement when behavior is believed to constitute criminal conduct.

6. Policies • All academy/parish school staff must attend DASA training. • All academy/parish school personnel must receive a copy of the academy/parish school policy including reporting process annually. • Ensure that the district policies and procedures including an incident report form, are made available.

7. Definitions • Bullying is described as an unwanted, aggressive behavior that involves a real or perceived power imbalance. The behavior is repeated, or has the potential to be repeated, over time. • Bullying can occur before and after academy/parish school hours, in an academy/parish school building, on a playground, on a school bus while traveling to or from an academy/parish school, or on the Internet. • Cyberbullying occurs when harassment or bullying happens through any form of electronic communication. If the bullying impedes the education of a student and the learning environment in the classroom then the academy/parish school has an obligation to get involved.

8. Definitions • According to the United States Department of Education (USDOE) www.stopbullying.gov/what-is-bullying/definition/index.html bullying generally involves the following characteristics: • An Imbalance of Power • The Intent to Cause Harm • Repetition

9. Definitions • Harassment is defined as the creation of a hostile environment by conduct or verbal threats, intimidation, or abuse that has or would have the following effect: • Reasonably and substantially interfering with a student’s educational performance, opportunities or benefits: or • Would reasonably be expected to cause a student to fear for his or her physical safety. • Discrimination is the act of denying rights, benefits, justice, equitable treatment or access to facilities available to all others, to an individual or group of people because of the group, class or category to which that person belongs.

10. DASA Reporting Requirements on local levelREPORTING

11. DASA Reporting on the Diocesan LevelWhen to inform the Superintendent • All bullying issues must be reported to the Superintendent of Schools/Academies. If there is a need for police involvement the Superintendent will notify Jasmine Salazar, Vice Chancellor. Ms. Salazar will coordinate with NYPD. • If the bullying is an ongoing problem, interventions (mediation, meetings with parents, referrals to counseling) have not been successful and the problem has escalated the Superintendent must be notified. • The Superintendent will engage PDHP to assist with the needs of the child who has been bullied. • Jasmine Salazar, Vice Chancellor will notify the Diocesan Press Secretary and the Moderator of the Curia as needed. • AS ALWAYS IN AN EMERGENCY WHERE A CHILD IS IN IMMINENT DANGER CALL 911.

12. INFORMATION GATHERING • Interview all involved (target, aggressor, witness) • Separately • Use a calm, problem-solving, investigative approach to find out: • What exactly was said and done (save evidence including recording). • Motive/intent (anger, misguided joke, threat of harm to safety). • Relationship and past history (one time occurrence or repeated). • Impact or perceived impact on school/academy functioning. • Contact parent/guardian of all students interviewed. • All records regarding incident should be kept in a confidential folder and updated though out the process.

13. Conclusive Incident After gathering information pertaining to an incident the DASA Coordinator or Principal must make a determination as to whether the incident is conclusive. A conclusive incident under DASA is: • An act or series of acts by a student or employee that impedes the victims right to an education. • Creates a hostile environment by conduct • With or without physical contact and/or • Verbal threats, intimidation or abuse • Conduct of such a severe or pervasive nature that it has the following effect: • Unreasonably and substantially interferes with a student’s educational performance, opportunities or benefits or • Mental, emotional and/or physical well-being or • Reasonably causes, or would reasonably be expected to cause, a student to fear for his or her physical safety.

14. Conclusive Incident

15. Take Prompt Action • Consequences are most effective when they directly address the problem and context. • The most effective approach considers the following: • Student’s age and developmentally-appropriate conduct. • Specific offense and circumstances of incident. • Student’s prior disciplinary record. • Input from parent/guardian, teachers and counselors, as appropriate. • Before communication of any action to those involved, the Superintendent must be notified and will provide guidance.

16. The Child who is Bullied • Appropriate consequences that are followed through must be given to the child that has been found to be bullying. • The DASA Coordinator must follow up with the child that has been bullied after the incident has been rectified at least 3 times to ensure that the situation has not re-occurred and to ensure that the child does not continue to view themselves through the lens of the bully. • Support services should be made available to the child. • After a bullying situation has been dealt with the "Target" should be given skills to enhance their coping skills to try to ensure that they will not become a target in another situation. • For the child that was found to be the bully, after they have been given appropriate consequences they should be offered counseling to ensure a change of behavior has been implemented in how they treat others.

17. Resources Safe and Supportive Learning: https://safesupportivelearning.ed.gov/ Stop Bullying www.stopbullying.gov

18. Contact Information Diocese of Brooklyn Thomas Chadzutko, Ed.D. Office of the Superintendent of Schools/Academies 516-313-0848 - Cell Vice Chancellor Jasmine Salazar, L.M.S.W. 646-961-5393 - Cell Safe Environment Office Maryellen Quinn, Coordinator 718-281-9670 – Office 718-509-5537 - Cell