NEPN/NSBA Code: ACAD
HAZING
Maine statute defines injurious hazing as "any action or situation, including harassing behavior that recklessly or intentionally endangers the mental or physical health of any school personnel or a student enrolled in a public school."
Injurious hazing also includes any activity expected of a student as a condition of joining or maintaining membership in a group that humiliates, degrades, abuses or endangers a student, regardless of the student's willingness to participate in the activity.
It is the policy of the Board that injurious hazing activities of any type, either on or off school property, by any student, staff member, group or organization affiliated with this school unit shall be prohibited at all times.
“Harassing behavior” includes acts of intimidation and any other conduct that recklessly or intentionally endangers the mental or physical health of a student or staff member.
“Acts of intimidation” include extortion, menacing, direct or indirect threats of violence, incidents of violence, bullying, statements or taunting of a malicious and/or derogatory nature that recklessly or intentionally endanger the mental or physical health of another person, and property damage or theft.
No administrator, faculty member, or other employee of the school unit shall encourage, permit, condone, or tolerate injurious hazing activities. No student, including leaders of student organizations, shall plan, encourage, or engage in injurious hazing activities.
Persons not associated with this school unit who fail to abide by this policy may be subject to ejection from school property and/or other measures may be available under the law.
Administrators, family members, students and all other employees who fail to abide by this policy may be subject to disciplinary action which may include suspension, expulsion, or other appropriate measures. In the case of any organization affiliated with this school unit which authorizes hazing, penalties may include rescission of permission for that organization to operate on school property or to receive any other benefit of affiliation with the school unit.
These penalties shall be in addition to any civil or criminal penalties to which the violator or organization may be subject.
The Superintendent shall assume responsibility for administering this policy. In the event that an individual or organization disagrees with an action-or lack of action- on the part of the Superintendent as he/she carries out the provisions of this policy, that individual or organization may appeal to the Board. The ruling of the Board, with respect to the provisions of this policy, shall be final.
This right to appeal does not apply to student suspensions of 10 days or less or to matters submitted to grievance procedures under applicable collective bargaining agreements.
A copy of this policy shall be included in all school, parent, and employee handbooks or otherwise distributed to all school employees and students.
Legal Reference: 20-MRSA §6553
Cross Reference: ACAA - Harassment and Sexual Harassment of Students
ACAB - Harassment and Sexual Harassment of Employees
JICIA - Weapons, Violence and School Safety
Adopted: April 13, 2006
Revised: December 4, 2014
Revised: November 7, 2019