5145.4P Non-discrimination Students

SHIPMAN/GOODWIN RECOMMENDED LANGUAGE ADDITIONS
                                                                                         Series 5000
                                                                                            5145.4P

                                                                                           STUDENTS

                           NON-DISCRIMINATION POLICY (STUDENTS)

The Board of Education complies with all applicable federal, state and local laws prohibiting the
exclusion of any person from any of its educational programs or activities, or the denial to any
person of the benefits of any of its educational programs or activities because of race, religion,
color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, age, disability (including
pregnancy), veteran status or gender identity or expression, subject to the conditions and
limitations established by law.

It is the policy of the Board that any form of discrimination or harassment on the basis of race,
religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, age, disability (including
pregnancy), veteran status, gender identity or expression, or any other basis prohibited by state
or federal law is prohibited, whether by students, Board employees or third parties subject to
the control of the Board. The Board’s prohibition of discrimination or harassment in its
educational programs or activities expressly extends to academic, nonacademic and
extracurricular activities, including athletics. It is also the policy of the Board to provide for the
prompt and equitable resolution of complaints alleging any discrimination on the basis of
protected characteristics such as race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, marital status,
national origin, disability (including pregnancy), veteran status or gender identity or expression.

For the purposes of this policy, “veteran” means any person honorably discharged from, or
released under honorable conditions from active service in, the United States Army, Navy,
Marine Corps, Coast Guard and Air Force and any reserve component thereof, including the
Connecticut National Guard.

For the purposes of this policy, “race” is inclusive of ethnic traits historically associated with
race, including but not limited to, hair texture and protective hairstyles. “Protective
hairstyles” includes, but is not limited to, wigs, headwraps and hairstyles such as individual
braids, cornrows, locs, twists, Bantu knots, afros and afro puffs.

For the purposes of this policy, “gender identity or expression” means a person’s gender-related
identity, appearance or behavior, whether or not that gender-related identity, appearance or
behavior is different from that traditionally associated with the person’s physiology or assigned
sex at birth, which gender-related identity can be shown by providing evidence including, but
not limited to, medical history, care or treatment of the gender-related identity, consistent and
uniform assertion of the gender-related identity or any other evidence that the gender-related



NON-DISCRIMINATION POLICY (STUDENTS)                                                       Page 1 of 3
identity is sincerely held, part of a person's core identity or not being asserted for an improper
purpose.

Any student and/or parent/guardian wishing to file a complaint regarding discrimination may
obtain a copy of the Board’s complaint procedures and complaint form which are included in
the Board’s Administrative Regulations Regarding Non-Discrimination/Students. These
regulations accompany Board Policy Series 5000 #5145.42 and are available online at
www.colchesterct.org or upon request from the main office of any district school.

If a complaint involves allegations of discrimination or harassment based on reasons such as
gender/sex or disability, such complaints will be handled under other appropriate policies Series
5000 #5145.5 Sex Discrimination & Sexual Harassment (Students); Series 5000 #5145 Students
& Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 & Title ll of the Americans with Disabilities Act
of 1990.

Any student and/or parent/guardian also may file a complaint with the Office for Civil Rights,
U.S. Department of Education (“OCR”):

Office for Civil Rights, Boston Office
U.S. Department of Education
8th Floor
5 Post Office Square
Boston, MA 02109- 3921
(617) 289-0111
http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/howto.html

Any student and/or parent/guardian may also file a complaint with the Connecticut Commission
on Human Rights and Opportunities:

Connecticut Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities
450 Columbus Blvd., Hartford, CT 06103-1835
(800-477-5737)

Anyone who has questions or concerns about this policy, or would like a copy of the Board’s
complaint procedures or complaint forms related to claims of discrimination, may contact:

       Director of Pupil Services and Special Education
       215 Halls Hill Road 380 Norwich Avenue, Colchester, CT 06415, 860.537.3103

Anyone who has questions or concerns about the Board’s policies regarding discrimination on
the basis of gender/sex may contact the Board’s Title IX Coordinator:

       Director of Pupil Services and Special Education
       215 Halls Hill Road 380 Norwich Avenue, Colchester, CT 06415, 860.537.3103




NON-DISCRIMINATION POLICY (STUDENTS)                                                     Page 2 of 3
Anyone who has questions or concerns about the Board’s policies regarding discrimination on
the basis of disability may contact the Board’s Section 504/ADA Coordinator:

       Director of Pupil Services and Special Education
       215 Halls Hill Road 380 Norwich Avenue, Colchester, CT 06415, 860.537.3103

Legal References:

       Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, 20 U.S.C. § 1681, et seq.
       Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 42 U.S.C. § 2000d, et seq.
       Americans with Disabilities Act, 42 U.S.C. § 12101, et seq.
       Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, 29 U.S.C. § 794, et seq.
       Connecticut General Statutes § 10-15c, § 46a-58, and § 46a-81a, et seq.
       Connecticut General Statutes § 1-1n, “Gender Identity or Expression” defined
       Public Act 17-127, An Act Concerning Discriminatory Practices Against Veterans, Leaves
       of Absence for National Guard Members, Application for Certain Medicaid Programs,
       and Disclosure of Certain Records to Federal Military Law Enforcement.


ADOPTED:             May 8, 2001
REVISION:            January 9, 2007
REVISION:            April 10, 2007
REVISION:            June 8, 2010
REVISION:            November 15, 2011
REVISION:            June 13, 2017 (Replaces Policies 5145.42)
REVISION:            August 14, 2018
REVISION:            June 8, 2021



238849v19




NON-DISCRIMINATION POLICY (STUDENTS)                                                Page 3 of 3