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I.                   Statement Prohibiting Harassment and Violence in the Workplace

The Manchester School District is committed to ensuring a work environment in which all individuals are treated with respect and dignity and is committed to providing a safe, violent-free workplace for all employees. Each individual has the right to work in a professional atmosphere that promotes equal employment opportunities and prohibits unlawful discriminatory practices, including harassment. Therefore, The District expects that all relationships among employees will be respectful, professional and free of bias, prejudice and harassment. 

It is the policy of the Manchester School District to maintain a working and learning environment that is free from harassment and violence.  The District expects employees to maintain a working environment that encourages mutual respect, promotes civil and congenial relationships among employees, and is free from all forms of harassment and violence.  This policy also seeks to support a district wide atmosphere in which bullying of any individual will not be tolerated by students, parents, staff and volunteers.  The District believes that everyone in the school community, including bystanders, play an important role in preventing harassment and bullying in our schools.   Therefore, it is against Manchester School District Policy for any employee to harass any other employee or student.

The Manchester School District encourages its employees to report all perceived incidents of harassment or violence. It is the policy of the District to promptly and thoroughly investigate such reports.

II.                 Definitions

Harassment is any verbal, written or physical conduct designed to threaten, intimidate, coerce or unreasonably interfere with the work performance of any District employee.  Examples of harassment include, but are not limited to, a) verbal taunting, b) verbal harassment, which includes comments that are offensive or unwelcomed regarding a person’s nationality, origin race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, body, disability or appearance; or c) nonverbal harassment, which includes the distribution, display or discussion of any written or graphic material that ridicules, denigrates, insults, belittles or shows hostility, aversion or disrespect toward an individual or group because of national origin, race, color, religion, age, gender, sexual orientation, pregnancy, appearance, disability, sexual identity, marital or other protected status.

Sexual harassment constitutes discrimination and is illegal under federal, state and local laws. Safety 135-Title IX Sexual Harassment and Grievance Process Policydefines sexual harassment under TItle IX and set forth the District’s policy prohibiting it. Sex-Based discrimination for employees pursuant to Title VII shall be investigated pursuant to this policy.  Any allegations of sexual harassment or sex-based discrimination should first be reported to the Title IX Coordinator, for a determination of which policy will guide the investigation. 

Violence is a physical act of aggression or assault upon another and as used in this policy includes an act of theft, destruction or violence as defined in RSA 193-D:1.

III.            Prohibited Conduct

The Manchester School District does not tolerate any type of workplace violence or harassment committed by or against employees. Employees are prohibited from making threats or engaging in violent activities. The following list of behaviors, while not inclusive, provides examples of conduct that is prohibited:

• Assaults;

• Threats of physical assaults, bullying or other verbal or non-verbal threatening behavior, that have the effect of threatening the safety of other persons or property; whether made in person or by other means (including but not limited to: telephone, text, fax, email, social media or written correspondence.)

• Verbal abuse or harassment by any means or medium (including but not limited to: using intimidation tactics, making malicious, false and harmful statements about others, making threats, using disparaging remarks, sabotaging another’s work, stalking others, etc.);

• Aggressive or hostile behavior, aggressive outbursts, excessive display of anger or comments that creates a reasonable fear of harm to another person or subjects another individual to emotional distress;

• Intentionally damaging employer property or property of another employee;

• Committing acts motivated by, or related to, sexual or another form of harassment or domestic violence (including but not limited to: making malicious, false and harmful statements about others, publicly disclosing another’s private information, failing to hire or promote, issuing poor performance reports, etc. as a form of retaliation);

• Any behavior or collection of behaviors that instill fear or generate a concern that a person might act out violently (including but not limited to: harsh words or insults, excessive profanity, arguing loudly, overt displays of anger, e.g. slamming doors, punching walls, etc.) 

Any conduct prohibited by this policy is unacceptable in the workplace and in any work-related setting outside the workplace, such as school sponsored events, during employment-related meetings, employment-related trips and employment-related social events.

IV.              Reporting Procedures

Employees who believe they have been the victims of conduct prohibited by this policy or who believe they have witnessed such conduct should discuss their concerns with their immediate supervisor, or may also bring their concerns to the next person in the line of command.  Upon receipt of such report, the immediate supervisor, in their discretion, will report the matter to the Director Human Resources or any Assistant Superintendent, for further evaluation.  The District shall respect the confidentiality of the complaint and the individual(s) against whom the complaint is filed to the greatest extent possible, consistent with the District’s legal obligations and the necessity to investigate allegations of workplace violence and harassment.

When possible, the Manchester School District encourages individuals who believe they are being subjected to such conduct to promptly advise the offender that his or her behavior is unwelcome and request that it be discontinued. Often this action alone will resolve the problem. The District recognizes, however, that an individual may prefer to pursue the matter through the above listed reporting procedure. 

The Manchester School District encourages the prompt reporting of complaints or concerns so that rapid and constructive action can be taken before relationships become irreparably strained. Therefore, although no fixed reporting period has been established, early reporting and intervention are the most effective method of resolving actual or perceived incidents of harassment. 

V.             Enforcement

Any employee determined to have violated this policy shall be subject to disciplinary action up to and including immediate termination.

VI.           Anti-Retaliation Clause 

The Manchester School District prohibits retaliation against any individual who reports harassment or violence and prohibits retaliation against any individual who participates in an investigation of such reports.  Acts of retaliation should be reported immediately and the District will discipline or take appropriate action against any pupil, teacher, administrator or other school personnel who retaliates against an employee.

False and malicious complaints of harassment or workplace violence may be the subject of appropriate disciplinary action.

SOURCES:     Safety 136: Title IX Sexual Harassment and Grievance Process Policy 

                               MSD Student Policy 118, Pupil Safety and Violence Prevention Policy - Bullying

City of Manchester, Workplace Violence Policy, revised July 2015

                               Bow School District Policy Prohibiting Harassment and Violence, revised 1/3/14

                               NOLO Anti-harassment Policy downloadable forms,2015

                               Policies, March 2016 

First Reading Coordination: 7/11/16

Second Reading and Approval BOSC: 8/8/16

First Reading: 09/15/2020

Second Reading and BOSC Approval: 9/28/2020