Bullying

YCSC BULLYING AND HATE MOTIVATED INCIDENTS

YCSC is committed to providing a safe learning environment free from discrimination and harassment. We take a strong position against bullying, hazing, or any behavior that infringes on the safety or well-being of students, employees, or any other persons within the YCSC’s jurisdiction or interferes with learning or the ability to teach.

Bullying and hazing are part of a continuum of aggressive or violent behaviors. Some acts of bullying or hazing can and do constitute other categories of misconduct such as assault, battery, child abuse, hate-motivated incident, criminal activity or sexual harassment and, as such, violate other YCSC policies. In such cases, YCSC personnel are obligated to follow appropriate state reporting guidelines.

Hate-motivated incidents and crimes jeopardize both the safety and well-being of all students and staff. Current law requires school districts to document and report any and all hate-motivated incidents and crimes.

YCSC does not tolerate hate-motivated incidents/crimes based on the actual or perceived characteristics set forth in Penal Code §422.5, Education Code §220 and actual or perceived sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, race or ethnicity, ethnic group identification, ancestry, nationality, national origin, religion, color, mental or physical disability, age, or on the basis of a person’s association with a person or group with one or more of these actual or perceived characteristics, in any program or activity it conducts or to which it provides significant assistance.

A “hate-motivated incident” is an act or attempted act which constitutes an expression of hostility against a person, property, or institution because of the target’s real or perceived protected characteristics. This may include using bigoted insults, taunts, or slurs, distributing or posting hate group literature or posters, defacing, removing, or destroying posted materials or announcements, posting or circulating demeaning jokes or leaflets, or sending insulting or threatening messages by phone, e-mail, Web sites, or any other electronic or written communication.

A “hate-motivated crime” is a “hate-motivated incident” that has been investigated by law enforcement and determined to be criminal in nature and a violation of the law. This includes any criminal action that manifests evidence of hostility toward the target because of his or her actual or perceived protected characteristics. Such action includes, but is not limited to, threatening telephone calls, hate mail, physical assault, vandalism, cross burning, destruction of religious symbols, or fire bombings. This also includes threats or hate mail sent by electronic communication.

YCSC prohibits retaliation against anyone who files a complaint or participates in the complaint investigation process.