The Holland Board of Education is committed to providing an environment for all students that is free of bullying, cyber bullying, harassment and discrimination. In accordance with the Dignity for All Students Act, School District policy and practice must ensure that no student is subject to discrimination or harassment, based on a person's actual or perceived race, color, weight, national origin, ethnic group, religion, religious practice, disabilities, sexual orientation, gender/gender identity or sex by school employees or students on school property, on a school bus, or at a school function.

“Bullying” means systematically and chronically inflicting physical hurt or psychological distress on one or more students or employees. It is further defined as: repeated unwanted purposeful written, verbal, nonverbal, or physical behavior, including but not limited to any threatening, insulting, or dehumanizing gesture, by an adult or student, that has the potential to create an intimidating, hostile, or offensive educational environment or cause long term damage; cause discomfort or humiliation; or unreasonably interfere with the individual’s school performance or participation, is carried out repeatedly and is often characterized by an imbalance of power.

Bullying may involve, but is not limited to repeated:
•Unwanted teasing
•Threatening
•Intimidation
•Stalking
•Cyberstalking
•Cyberbullying
•Physical violence
•Theft
•Sexual, religious, or racial harassment
•Public humiliation
•Destruction of school or personal property
•Social exclusion, including incitement and /or coercion
•Rumor or spreading of falsehoods

“Harassment” means any threatening, insulting, or dehumanizing gesture, use of technology, computer software, or written, verbal or physical conduct directed against a student or school employee that:
•Places a student or school employee in reasonable fear of harm to his or her person or damage to his or her property.
•Has the effect of substantially interfering with a student’s educational performance, or employee’s work performance, or either’s opportunities or benefits?
•Has the effect of substantially negatively impacting a student’s or employee’s emotional or mental well-being.
•Has the effect of substantially disrupting the orderly operation of a school and /or school district work environment.

“Cyberstalking” means to engage in a course of conduct to communicate, or to cause to be communicated, words, images or language by or through the use of electronic mail or electronic communication, directed at or about a specific person, causing substantial emotional distress to that person and serving no legitimate purpose.

“Cyberbullying” is defined as the willful and repeated harassment and intimidation of a person through the use of digital technologies, including, but not limited to, email, blogs, texting on cell phones, social websites (i.e. Snapchat, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc.) chatrooms, “sexing”, instant messaging or video voyeurism.

“Bullying”, “Cyberbullying”, and / or “Harassment” encompasses:
•Retaliation against a student or school employee by another student or school employee for asserting or alleging an act of bullying, harassment or discrimination.
•Retaliation also includes reporting a baseless act of bullying, harassment or discrimination that is not made in good faith.
•Perpetuation of conduct listed in the definition of bullying, harassment and/ or discrimination by an individual or group with the intent to demean, dehumanize, embarrass or cause emotional or physical harm to a student or school employee by:

▪Incitement or coercion.
▪Accessing or knowingly and willingly causing or providing access to data or computer software through a computer, computer system, or computer network within the scope of the District school system.
▪Acting in a manner that has an effect substantially similar to the effect of bullying, harassment or discrimination.

“Bullying,” “Cyberbullying” “Harassment” and “Discrimination” also encompass, but are not limited to, unwanted harm towards a student or employee in regard to their real or perceived: Sex, race, color, religion, national origin, age, disability (physical, mental or educational), marital status, scio-economic background, ancestry, ethnicity, gender, gender identity or expression, linguistic preference, political beliefs, sexual orientation or social/family background.

“Accused” is defined as any District employee, consultant, contractor, agent, visitor, volunteer, student, or other person in the school or outside the school at school –sponsored events, on school buses, and at training facilities or training programs sponsored by the District who is reported to have committed an act of bullying, whether formally or informally, verbally or in writing, of bullying.

“Complainant” is defined as any District employee, consultant, contractor, agent, visitor, student or other person who formally or informally makes a report.

Dignity Act Coordinator (DAC)
In accordance with the Dignity for All Students Act, the Holland Central School District has at least one person in every school designated as the School Dignity Act Coordinator (DAC); thoroughly trained in trained to respond human relations in the areas of race, color, national origin, ethnic group, religion, religious practice, disabilities, sexual orientation, and gender identity and sexes.

 

Dignity Act Coordinator by school
•Jason Jacobs - High School
•Carl Guidotti - Middle School
•Kelly Wetzler - H.O. Brumsted Elementary

 

Dignity for All Students Act

Complaint Form