NORTHFIELD BOARD OF EDUCATION FILE CODE: 2224 Northfield, New Jersey
Regulation
RESPONSE TO ALLEGED ACTS OF DISCRIMINATION
The Northfield Board of Education encourages all its employees to work assiduously to eliminate all forms of discrimination from the public schools of this community. It is the intent of the board to establish procedures by which any existences, real or imagined, can be rectified at the lowest possible administrative level. To this end, all teachers, pupils, parents/guardians, and interested citizens are urged to report incidents of discrimination to the principal of the building in which these conditions are alleged to exist.
Procedure
A. The principal will, within five (5) school days, take steps to eliminate such conditions or deliver a written opinion to the reporting party that the complaint is without basis.
B. If the reporting party believes the principal’s action insufficient to correct the situation, or within five (5) school days of principal’s rejection of the complaint, the individual may submit the complaint, in writing, to the appropriate Affirmative Action Officer of the Northfield School District. The appropriate Affirmative Action Officer will respond, in writing, within ten (10) school days, outlining the steps to be taken to alleviate alleged discrimination or reasons for rejecting said complaint.
C. Within ten (10) school days of the appropriate Affirmative Action Officer’s rejection, the reporting party may appeal, in writing, to the Superintendent of Schools, who will respond within ten (10) school days, either accepting or rejecting allegations as outlined above.
D. Copies of all correspondence to this point must be held in the files of the appropriate Affirmative Action Officer.
E. If the reporting party’s complaints have not been redressed after the steps outlined above, an appeal to the board of education may be made within ten (10) days of the Superintendent’s letter. At this point, all correspondence will be delivered to the Secretary/Business Administrator of the board. The board will establish a hearing to be held within thirty (30) days of receipt of letter. At this hearing, the reporting party, building principal, appropriate Affirmative Action Officer, and the Superintendent, together with others the board or reporting party deem essential, will give testimony regarding the situation. The board will render its decision and institute action (if warranted) within five (5) school days.
F. In the event the outcome is not satisfactory to the reporting party, the appropriate Affirmative Action Officer will explain procedures to the complainant for appeal to the State Department of Education