The Dignity Act prohibits discrimination and harassment of students by staff and other students defined as: 

• the creation of a hostile environment by conduct or by verbal threats, intimidation or abuse that has or would have the effect of unreasonably and substantially interfering with a student's educational performance, opportunities or benefits, or mental, emotional or physical well-being; or conduct; verbal threats, intimidation or abuse that reasonably causes or would reasonably be expected to cause a student to fear for his or her physical safety.
• Such conduct, verbal threats, intimidation or abuse includes, but is not limited to conduct, verbal threats, intimidation or abuse based on a person's actual or perceived race, color, weight, national origin, ethnic group, religion, religious practice, disability, sexual orientation, gender or sex.

Bullying is a form of harassment. According to the US Department of Education, bullying generally involves the following characteristics:

• An imbalance of power: Children who bully use their power, such as physical strength, access to embarrassing information, or popularity, to control or harm others. Power imbalances can change over time and in different situations, even if they involve the same people.
• The Intent to Cause Harm: The person bullying has a goal to cause harm.
• Repetition:  Bullying behaviors generally are repeated and happen over time. 

Students, staff, and parents can report incidents of bullying and harassment by contacting their child's teacher or principal or by submitting a DASA Report Form to one of our DASA Coordinators. These forms can be found in the File Library on this page or can be obtained in any of the school’s offices. Reports can also be made anonymously on the school’s Tip Line. 

All reports will be investigated. Reports that are determined to be founded material incidents of discrimination and harassment will be reported as required to the New York State Education Department.