Information
Denver Public Schools (“the District”) is committed to fostering, cultivating and preserving a culture of diversity and inclusiveness. We celebrate our diversity and will provide the necessary resources and supports to eliminate barriers to success and foster a more equitable future for all our community members, students, and employees.
The District recognizes that discrimination and harassment can interfere with academic performance, job performance , emotional and physical wellbeing, and access to District programs and activities. Thus, preventing and remedying discrimination and harassment are essential to the District’s mission.
The District will work to provide a safe learning and working environment where all members of the school community are treated with dignity and respect regardless of race, color, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, transgender status, religion, national origin, immigration/citizenship status, ancestry, age, marital status, pregnancy status, veteran status, disability, or genetic information of an employee or applicant for employment (collectively, “Protected Classes”). Accordingly, no otherwise qualified student, employee, applicant for employment, or member of the public shall be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to unlawful discrimination or harassment under any District program or activity on the basis of Protected Class status.
Resolution Process
This policy and any applicable regulations shall be used to address all concerns from community members, students, employees, and applicants for employment regarding unlawful discrimination and harassment.
Regulation AC-R1 shall contain the procedure for all investigations of unlawful discrimination and harassment of a community member, student, employee, or applicant for employment, other than investigations related to the provision of reasonable accommodations or a free appropriate public education (“FAPE”).
Regulation AC-R2 shall contain the District’s procedures concerning the provision of reasonable accommodations to community members. Policy GBA and related regulations shall contain the District’s procedures concerning the provision of reasonable accommodations to employees and applicants for employment. Policy JB and related regulations shall contain the District’s procedures concerning the provision of FAPE to students under Section 504 and the ADA.
Harassment is Prohibited
Harassment based on a person’s Protected Class status is a form of discrimination prohibited by state and federal law. Preventing and remedying such harassment is essential to ensure a nondiscriminatory, safe environment in which students can learn, employees can work, and members of the public can access and receive the benefits of District facilities and programs. All such harassment by District employees, students, and third parties, is strictly prohibited.
All District employees and students share the responsibility to ensure that harassment does not occur at any District school, on any District property, at any District or school-sanctioned curricular or non-curricular activity or event, or off school property when such conduct has a nexus to the school.
Retaliation is Prohibited
Concerns about discrimination and harassment are often only raised and remedied when members of the public, students, employees, and applicants for employment can report such practices without the fear of retaliation. Thus, the District prohibits retaliation against an individual for raising a good-faith concern about or participating in good faith in an investigation of discrimination or harassment. The District will investigate and respond to an allegation of retaliation in the same manner as an allegation of discrimination or harassment.
Adoption of Regulations
The Superintendent or a designee shall develop such regulations as may be needed for the implementation of this policy so long as such regulations are consistent with Board policies.
