Protecting Students from Harassment and Hate Crime: A Guide for Schools. [Revised.]

Education and law enforcement officials are all committed to ensuring that students throughout the nation are able to attend school safely, free from all forms of harassment. However, some students are subject to verbal and physical abuse and intimidation based on their race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sex, disability, or sexual orientation. This harassment can lead to serious violence against students and can adversely affect their ability to learn or to benefit from an educational program. School officials, working closely with students, parents and community groups, play a critical role in ensuring that such forms of harassment and violence have no place in the schools. This guide provides a framework for developing policies and practices to prevent harassment and to respond to it effectively when it does occur. Actions that are specifically required by current federal law are identified and best practices to ensure an effective program are recommended. The guide provides step-by-step assistance to schools for the following: (1) developing a comprehensive written anti-harassment policy; (2) identifying and responding effectively to harassment; (3) establishing formal reporting and complaint procedures; (4) creating a safe and supportive school climate; (5) responding to hate-motivated violence through cooperation and partnerships between school and law enforcement officials; and (6) developing crisis intervention plans to avoid disruption of the educational process. The guide defines and describes harassment and hate crimes, contains information about applicable laws, details specific positive steps that schools can take to prevent and respond to harassment, includes sample policies and procedures used by school districts, and identifies many of the resource materials available to assist schools. Includes information on applicable 1999 court cases. (Author/MLF)