Policy
5512 HAZING
The Board of Education
believes hazing activities of any type are inconsistent with the educational
process and the Board prohibits all such hazing behavior at any time on school
premises, at any school-sponsored function or on any school bus.
“Hazing” means the
performance of any act or the coercion of another to perform any act of
initiation into any class, team, or organization that causes or creates a
substantial risk of causing mental or physical harm. Permission, consent, or assumption of risk by
an individual subjected to hazing shall not lesson the prohibitions contained
in this policy.
All staff members, pupils
and school volunteers shall be alert to possible behavior, circumstances, or
events that might include hazing. A person
who detects hazing and/or planned hazing shall immediately inform the pupil(s)
involved of the prohibition against this behavior and/or conduct and direct
them to immediately cease all such behavior and/or conduct. All such incidents must be reported to the
Building Principal.
The Building Principal will
report to the Affirmative Action Officer and the Superintendent any incident
reported from a staff member, pupil, parent, legal guardian or any other
source. The Building Principal will also
report information received from anonymous sources,
however, any formal disciplinary action will not be taken solely on the basis
of an anonymous report.
There will be no reprisals
or retaliation against any person(s) making such report of hazing
behavior. Any allegations of reprisals
or retaliation shall be reported directly to the Building Principal who will
investigate such allegations and take appropriate action if the allegations are
confirmed and/or if the person is found to have falsely accused another as
means of retaliation or as a means of hazing.
The Building Principal or
designee will immediately investigate any report of actual or planned hazing.
If the investigation
determines hazing behavior was planned or was present, the administration will
take reasonable, age-appropriate and effective corrective action to end the
behavior which may include, but is not limited to, counseling, warning, and/or
disciplinary action. The administration
may need to provide support services to the pupil(s) that was hazed to remedy
the past hazing behavior.
Nothing in this Policy
prohibits the Affirmative Action Officer from complying with the requirements
of the district’s Affirmative Action Program as outlined in Policy 1550 and
N.J.A.C. 6A:7-1.1 et seq.
The Building Principal, in
conjunction with the Affirmative Action Officer, will develop and conduct
training and information programs for all school staff, pupils, parents and
interested community members on the district’s Hazing Policy.
Any pupil organization that
seeks to organize and perpetuate itself by taking in members based on the
decision of the membership of the organization, rather than from the free
choice of any pupils who are otherwise qualified to fill the special aims of
such organization, is prohibited.
This Policy shall be
published in pupil and staff handbooks upon its adoption by the Board. The Board will seek school community input
prior to the initial adoption and any revisions to this Policy.
N.J.S.A. 18A:37-1 et seq.;
18A:42-5; 18A:42-6
Adopted:
Revised: Code Change Only -