Dignity for all Students (DASA)

The Board of Education is committed to providing an educational and working environment that promotes respect, dignity and equality. The Board recognizes that discrimination, such as harassment, hazing and bullying, are detrimental to student learning and achievement. These behaviors interfere with the mission of the district to educate its students and disrupt the operation of the schools. Such behavior affects not only the students who are its targets but also those individuals who participate and witness such acts.

To this end, the Board condemns and strictly prohibits all forms of discrimination, such as harassment, hazing and bullying on school grounds, school buses and at all school-sponsored activities, programs and events. Discrimination, harassment, hazing or bullying that takes place at locations outside of school grounds, such as cyberbullying, which creates or can be reasonably expected to create a material and substantial interference with the requirements of appropriate discipline in the operation of the school or impinge on the rights of other students are prohibited, and may be subject to disciplinary consequences.

Definitions

Bullying. Pursuant to the Dignity for All Students Act, “bullying” and “harassment” are equivalent and used interchangeably. In order to facilitate implementation, provide meaningful guidance and prevent behaviors from rising to a violation of law, this policy will use the term “bullying” (which is usually subsumed under the term “harassment”), which is understood to be the creation of a hostile environment by verbal and non-verbal conduct, intimidation, verbal threats or abuse, including cyberbullying, that has or would have the effect of unreasonably and substantially interfering with a student’s educational performance, opportunities, or benefits; or mental, emotional and/or physical wellbeing. Bullying includes conduct, threats, intimidation or abuse (verbal or non-verbal) that reasonably causes or would reasonably be expected to cause physical or emotional harm. Bullying may be premeditated or a sudden activity, and may be repeated, or have the potential to be repeated over time. It may be subtle or easy to identify, done by one person or a group. Bullying often includes the following characteristics:

• 1. Power imbalance - occurs when a bully uses their physical or social power over a target.
• 2. Intent to harm - the bully seeks to inflict physical or emotional harm and/or takes pleasure in this activity.
• 3. Threat of further aggression - the bully and the target believe the bullying will continue.
• 4. Terror - when any bullying increases, it becomes a “systematic violence or harassment used to intimidate and maintain dominance.” (Barbara Coloroso, The Bully, The Bullied & The Bystander, 2003)

There are at least four kinds of bullying: verbal, physical, social/relational, and cyber.  

• Verbal bullying includes name calling, insulting remarks, verbal teasing, frightening phone calls, violent threats, extortion, taunting, gossip, spreading rumors, racist slurs, threatening electronic communications (“cyberbullying”), anonymous notes, etc.
• Physical bullying includes poking, slapping, hitting, tripping or causing a fall, choking, kicking, punching, biting, pinching, scratching, spitting, twisting arms or legs, damaging clothes and personal property, or threatening gestures.
• Social or relational bullying includes excluding someone from a group, isolating, shunning, spreading rumors or gossiping, arranging public humiliation, undermining relationships, teasing about clothing, looks, giving dirty looks, aggressive stares, etc.
• Cyberbullying (Threatening electronic communications)

Click here for the full Student Harassment and Bullying Prevention Policy.

Dignity for All Students Act (DASA) Reporting Form

BRIM Reporting

Office of Pupil Personnel Services
165 N. Columbus Avenue
Mount Vernon, NY 10553
P: (914) 358-2380
F: (914) 665-5170

Dr. Marie Gaboton-Swift
Acting Assistant Superintendent for Pupil Personnel Services
mgaboton-swift@mtvernoncsd.org

Denise Ramirez
Typist 
dramirez1@mtvernoncsd.org
(914) 358-2581

The Dignity for All Students Act, effective July 1, 2012, requires that “No student shall be subjected to harassment by employees or students on school property or at a school function; nor shall any student be subjected to discrimination based on a person’s actual or perceived race, color, weight, national origin, ethnic group, religion, religious practice, disability, sexual orientation, gender, or sex by school employees or students on school property or at a school function.”

A web page with additional information and downloadable resources is available at http://www.p12.nysed.gov/dignityact/.