Title VI: Anti-Harassment

The Houston County School District by and through its Houston County Board of Education believes that each and every student should be able to receive their educational benefit free of acts of harassment based on a student’s race, color or national origin. To this end and in the effort to foster a school atmosphere free from racial animus discord or harassment, the Houston County Board of Education makes this policy statement. Students and their parents have the right to and should report harassment on the basis of race, color or national origin and the reporting of such conduct assists the District to meet its goal as hereinabove stated. Any student who believes they have been subjected to harassment or that a hostile environment has been created based on race, color or national origin should report it to Houston County School District administration.

The complaint policy as outlined in Board Policy JCE shall be followed. The Houston County School District personnel shall conduct a prompt investigation and those persons who are found to have engaged in acts of harassment that create a hostile environment based on race, color or national origin may be disciplined to include as warranted suspension, expulsion or termination of employment. The Houston County School District will not tolerate acts of retaliation against individuals who report harassment, or the creation of a hostile environment based on race, color or national origin. It is the hope of the Houston County Board of Education that students, parents/guardians and Houston County School District staff will work together to prevent acts of harassment based on race, color or national origin and any retaliation which is found to exist.