Morris School District
MORRIS SCHOOL DISTRICT
Morristown, New Jersey 07960

Policy
File Code: 6121
Monitored: X
Mandated: X
Other Reasons X
NONDISCRIMINATION/AFFIRMATIVE ACTION

No pupil enrolled in the district schools shall be excluded from participation in, denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination in any educational program or activity of this district on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, sex, affectional or sexual orientation, national origin, place of residence in the district, social or economic condition, or non-applicable disability. The affirmative action officer shall be responsible for planning, implementing and monitoring the district's affirmative action program with respect to school and classroom practices.

Reporting to the Superintendent, the affirmative action officer shall review the following areas for compliance with state department of education regulations and make suggestions and/or recommendations when necessary.
  1. Curriculum content

    He/she shall examine the following areas to ensure that curricula eliminate discrimination and promote understanding and mutual respect among students, regardless of race, color, creed, religion, gender, ancestry, national origin, socio-economic status, affectional or sexual orientation, or disability:

    1. School climate
    2. Courses of study
    3. Instructional materials
    4. Instructional strategies
    5. Library materials
    6. Software and audio-visual materials
    7. Guidance and counseling
    8. Extracurricular programs and activities
    9. Testing and other assessments

    He/she shall monitor the curriculum to ensure inclusion of instruction on African-American history in the teaching of United States history and inclusion of instruction on the Holocaust and genocide in the curriculum for all elementary and secondary school pupils.

  2. Staff training

    He/she shall suggest a program of in service training for school personnel designed to identify and solve problems of bias in all aspects of the school program. An affirmative action/equity in-service program shall be held for teaching staff annually; for each support staff member at least once every three years; and for parents and community members as needed to facilitate participation and support.

  3. Pupil access

    He/she shall review all school facilities, courses, programs, activities and services to ensure that all pupils including disabled pupils are provided equal and bias-free access to them. Particular attention shall be paid to the following:

    1. Ensuring equal access to all school and classroom facilities;

    2. Assigning pupils in such a way that the racial/national origin composition of each school's enrollment reflects the composition of the district wide enrollment at each grade level;

    3. Refraining from locating new facilities in areas that will contribute to imbalanced, isolated or racially identifiable school enrollments;

    4. Assigning pupils so that school and classroom enrollments are not identifiable on the basis of race, national origin or gender;

    5. Ensuring that pupils especially disabled pupils are not separated or isolated within schools, courses, classes, programs or extracurricular activities;

    6. Ensuring that minority and male pupils are not over-represented in detentions, suspensions, dropouts or special needs classifications;

    7. Ensuring equal and bias-free access for all pupils to computers, computer classes and other technologically-advanced instructional assistance;

    8. Ensuring that all limited English-proficient pupils and pupils with disabilities have equal and bias-free access to all school programs and activities;

    9. Ensuring equal and bias-free access for language-minority pupils and pupils with disabilities to multiple measures for determining special needs;

    10. Ensuring that pupil support services (such as school-based youth services, health care, tutoring and mentoring) are available to all pupils, including LEP (Limited English Proficiency) pupils;

    11. Ensuring that all pregnant pupils are permitted to remain in the regular school program and activities.

  4. District support

    He/she shall ensure that like aspects of the school program receive like support as to staff size and compensation, purchase and maintenance of facilities and equipment, access to such facilities and equipment, and related matters and that all grades within the district are comparable in those areas.
The Superintendent will report to the board annually on continuing compliance (reference Policy 5145.4).

Date: April 14, 1986
October 29, 2001 First Reading
November 19, 2001 Approved

Legal References:
N.J.S.A. 10:5-1 et seq. Law Against Discrimination
N.J.S.A. 18A:4A-1 et seq. New Jersey Commission on Holocaust Education
N.J.S.A. 18A:18A-17 Facilities for handicapped persons
N.J.S.A. 18A:35-1 Course in history of the United States in high school
N.J.S.A. 18A:36-20 Discrimination; prohibition
N.J.A.C. 6:4-1.1 et seq. Equality in educational programs
See particularly:
N.J.A.C. 6:4-1.3, -1.5, -1.7
N.J.A.C. 6:8-2.1 Reporting requirements
N.J.A.C. 6:8-4.1 Review of mandated programs and services
N.J.A.C. 6A:30-1.1 et seq. Evaluation of the Performance of School Districts
20 U.S.C.A. 1681 et seq. - Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972
29 U.S.C.A. 794 et seq. - Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, of 1973
20 U.S.C.A. 1401 et seq. - Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)
42 U.S.C.A. 12101 et seq. - Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
Gebser v. Lago Vista Indep. School Dist. 524 U.S. 274 (1998)
Davis v. Monroe County Bd. of Ed. 526 U.S. 629 (1999)
Manual for the Evaluation of Local School Districts (August 2000)
Multi-year Equity Plan for 1996-97 through 1998-99, SDOE Bureau of Equal Educational Opportunity, Doc. #MISM260040699

Cross References:
*2224 Nondiscrimination/affirmative action
*4111.1 Nondiscrimination/affirmative action
*4131/4131.1 Staff development; inservice education/visitations/conferences
*4211.1 Nondiscrimination/affirmative action
*4231/4231.1 Staff development; inservice education/visitations/conferences
5134 Married/pregnant pupils
5145.4 Equal educational opportunity
6140 Curriculum adoption
6141 Curriculum design/development
6142.4 Physical education and health
6145 Extracurricular activities
6161.1 Guidelines for evaluation and selection of instructional materials
6163.1 Media center/library
6164.2 Guidance services
6171.4 Special education

Key Words
Affirmative Action, Nondiscrimination, Curriculum, Instructional Materials, Textbooks
 

Morris School District | 31 Hazel Street | Morristown, New Jersey | Phone: 973-292-2300
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