Responding to Incidents of Bias or Discrimination
Responding to Incidents of Bias or Discrimination
The Newton Public Schools (NPS) are committed to providing equal educational opportunities and a safe learning environment for all students, faculty, and staff. Our policy against all forms of discrimination is clear and can be found on our policy database.
Any form of discrimination based on race, color, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, national origin, disability or any other category protected by state or federal law is not tolerated. NPS will promptly report, investigate and respond to all allegations of discrimination, including harassment and retaliation, to the fullest extent possible and take appropriate disciplinary, corrective, and remedial measures necessary to ensure a safe and equitable learning and workplace environment for all school community members. NPS will also report such incidents to the appropriate authorities when applicable and share major incidents and patterns with the community affected.
Below please find specific questions related to reporting and responding to specific incidents.
NPS works with both students and staff at all levels of our organization to prevent and address all forms of bias. The lessons implemented and professional development offered are age appropriate and seek to create school communities that are inclusive, respectful, empathetic, and kind. Examples of some of the preventive work we are doing to build a strong foundation of anti-bias culture in our schools includes the following initiatives and programs:
- Responsive Schools/Responsive Classrooms approach (K-8)
- Anti-Bias and Micro-Aggression student workshops (Secondary)
- Anti-Defamation League Peer Leader training (Secondary)
- Courageous Conversations Professional Development (Faculty/Staff)
- Culturally Responsive Instruction and Racial Identity Development Professional Development (Administrators)
- Families Organizing for Racial Justice network support (NPS parents/guardians/families)
- Educator and family conferences focused on racial equity (K-12)
If you have additional questions about how the Newton Public Schools responds to incidents of discrimination or bias, please feel free to reach out to your school principal or any district administrator. For more detailed information on how to report an incident, please visit the link on the left side of this page entitled "How to Report an Incident of Bias or Discrimination."
Any such incident that is investigated and addressed by NPS is documented and tracked by central school administration. This data is then analyzed and tracked for patterns of behavior and types of effective responses. District administration will periodically report to the School Committee on trends and commonalities that need to addressed.
There are many instances in which the community is alerted to a specific incident, but there are some in which it is not. Administrators work in concert with teachers and families to determine the best approach given the circumstances of the incident. Specific consideration is given to protecting the confidentiality of individual students and promoting the optimal educational response for involved students. While not all incidents are reported to the entire community, NPS takes any report or incident of discrimination, harassment, or retaliation seriously and addresses it promptly and thoroughly.
Communication to the school or larger Newton community about the incident and response varies based upon the details of the incident and its impact or potential impact on those involved.
Potential disciplinary actions for students who violate the anti-discrimination policy could include detention, suspension, or other restorative responses that require them to acknowledge their responsibility and minimize its impact. A staff member would be subject to the disciplinary procedures of their bargaining unit, which might typically include a process of formal warnings and reprimands, suspension, or more serious consequences. Non-staff adult community members may be sanctioned by limiting or ending their participation in NPS community activities. In most cases, specific disciplinary steps taken are protected by relevant confidentiality laws.