Summary for Students and Parents: Reporting Harassment or Discrimination

Policy 5.81 prohibits sexual harassment of students and discrimination against students on the basis of sex/gender.

Policy 5.001 prohibits harassment of, or discrimination against, students on bases including, but not limited to: race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, marital status, ancestry, ethnicity, gender, linguistic preference, political beliefs, sexual orientation, or social/family background.

NOTE: The following is only a general summary. Due to space limitations, this summary does not include some important details. See Policies 5.001 and 5.81 for full details. The Palm Beach County School Board Policies are on the Internet at www.SchoolBoardPolicies.com or www.palmbeach.k12.fl.us/policies.

A. Student Harasser/Discriminator. If the alleged harasser/discriminator is a student:

1. Principal. Report the incident to the school principal. Even if you request to make the complaint informally, the principal will document the complaint in writing, and you will be requested to sign the document to show it is accurate.

a. If appropriate, and if you agree, the principal may offer to arrange for informal resolution through a meeting with the alleged harasser/discriminator. If informal resolution is not appropriate or possible, the principal will help you file and sign a formal complaint with the Student Complaint Report form (if you have not yet written the complaint on this form). To pursue a complaint, it must be filed in writing within 180 calendar days after the incident (that is, within 180 days after the last act of harassment or discrimination).

b. The principal will investigate and should issue a written decision about the validity of the complaint and any corrective action needed, within 30 days.

2. Area Superintendent. If you are not satisfied with the principal's decision, you can appeal in writing to the area superintendent within 10 business days. The area superintendent will issue a written decision, usually within 30 calendar days after receiving the appeal.

3. Chief Academic Officer. If you are not satisfied with the area superintendent's decision, you can appeal in writing to the Chief Academic Officer within business 10 days. The Chief Academic Officer will issue a written decision, usually within 20 calendar days after receiving the request for review.

4. Superintendent. If you are not satisfied with the Chief Academic Officer's decision, you can appeal in writing to the Superintendent within 10 business days. The Superintendent will issue a written decision within 20 calendar days after receiving the request for review. The Superintendent's decision is the final decision of the School District. (If you are not satisfied with the final decision of the District, there may be other lawful means of resolving the alleged harassment or discrimination, such as filing a complaint with the federal Office for Civil Rights (OCR), as mentioned in School Board Policies 5.001 and 5.81.) 

B. Employee Harasser/Discriminator. If the alleged harasser/discriminator is a School District employee:

1. Principal. Report the incident to the school principal. The principal can help you file a formal complaint with the Student Complaint Report form. (But if you believe the principal is personally involved in the alleged harassment or discrimination, you can file the complaint with the area superintendent. Or you can report the incident to the Title IX Coordinator or ADA/504 Specialist). To pursue the complaint, it must be filed within 180 calendar days after the incident (that is, within 180 days after the last act of harassment or discrimination). The principal will send the report to the Title IX Coordinator and ADA/504 Specialist (and one of those will investigate the complaint and issue a written decision about the validity of the complaint and about any recommended corrective action, within 30 days if possible).

2. Chief Operating Officer/Designee. If you are not satisfied with the decision of the Title IX Coordinator or ADA/504 Specialist, you can appeal in writing to the Chief Operating Officer/designee within 10 business days. A written decision should be issued within 20 calendar days after receipt of the request for review.

3. Superintendent. If you are not satisfied with the Chief Operating Officer's decision, you can appeal in writing to the Superintendent within business 10 days. The Superintendent will issue a written decision within 20 calendar days after receiving the request for review. The Superintendent's decision is the final decision of the School District. (If you are not satisfied with the final decision of the District, there may be other lawful means of resolving the alleged harassment or discrimination, such as filing a complaint with the federal Office for Civil Rights (OCR), as mentioned in School Board Policies 5.001 and 5.81.)

NOTE: You should report alleged harassment or discrimination by a school volunteer, consultant, contractor, or other person on school grounds or at a school-sponsored activity in the same way as you would report allegations against an employee.