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Mostly Cloudy Oceanside School District gets ready for Dignity Act
Anti-bullying law forces small changes, modifications for existing policies
At a Board of Education meeting last month, Dr. Karen Siris, principal of School 9E, spoke to residents about how the New York State Dignity For All Students Act (the Dignity Act) will be effecting the district.
The law, passed in 2010, goes into effect on July 1, 2012. It is, in essence, an anti-bullying law. It is supposed to ensure that school is a civil and safe environment for students, and that no student be subjected to harassment or bullying from other students or staff at the school.
“This law protects the children and protects everyone in many categories: perceived or actual race, color, national origin, ethnic group, religion, religious practice, disability, sexual orientation or perceived sexual orientation, gender identity or sex,” Siris said. “The one that’s really different and comes into play here is the child’s physical size or their weight or height. Whether they wear glasses, if they have freckles. This law now asks that we make sure children aren’t harassed for their physical characteristics as well.”
Under the law, school districts must appoint an anti-bullying coordinator that is trained in non-discriminatory instructional and counseling methods.
“These coordinators will come back and be leaders in our buildings,” said Siris. “Either they or someone in their building will train our staff to have a greater awareness and understanding of all issues of harassment and discrimination.” The coordinator for each school will have to be approved by the Board of Education by July.
Another part of the act says that districts include tolerance curriculum for all grade levels of students. “What it requires in our school buildings is an instruction in civility, citizenship and character — things that we already have embedded in our school programs from kindergarten through grade 12,” Siris said.
The Board of Education will also have to amend the district’s Code of Conduct to say the district is free of harassment and discrimination, and write it in plain language that all students can understand.
As Siris said at the meeting, the law codifies many of the things that Oceanside already does. “The Dignity Act ensures that we promote what we already promote, that we promote environments that are civil and safe and nurturing — and our Social/Emotional Learning program supports that,” she said.
