Dignity for All Students Act

The Dignity for All Students Act was signed into law in September 2010, to ensure that students throughout New York State attend school in a safe and supportive environment, free from discrimination, intimidation, taunting, harassment and bullying on school property, on school buses or at school functions.

Definition of Terms:

Bullying: (Olweus Definition of Bullying): "Bullying is when someone repeatedly and on purpose says or does mean or hurtful things to another person who has a hard time defending him or herself."

Bullying is characterized by:

  • Power Imbalance - occurs when a bully uses his/her physical or social power over a target.
  • Intent to harm - the bully seeks to inflict physical or emotional harm and/or takes pleasure in this activities.
  • Threat of further aggression - the bully and the target believe the bullying will continue.
  • Terror - when any bullying increases, it becomes a "systematic violence or harassment used to intimidate and maintain dominance.

Types of bullying include:

  • Verbal Bullying - repeated name calling, insulting remarks, verbal teasing, violent threats.
  • Physical or Severe Physical Bullying - Poking, slapping, biting, pinching, scratching, spitting, twisting arms/legs, damaging clothes/personal property; intentionally meaning to cause harm; threatening gestures; repeated intentional physical contact.
  • Social and/or Cyber-Bullying - Exclusion, shunning, isolation, spreading rumors, gossiping, undermining relationships, repeated teasing, giving dirty looks, aggressive stares.

The Fallsburg Central School District is committed to providing all students an educational environment free of harassment and bullying. As required by the legislation, each District school building has a Dignity Act Coordinator.

Everyone in the District, from students to staff, is encouraged to report instances of bullying and harassment immediately to Building Principals, Building Level Dignity Act Coordinators or the District Dignity Act Coordinator.

The Dignity Act Coordinator(s):

1. Promote a safe, orderly and stimulating school environment, supporting active teaching and learning for all students regardless of actual or perceived race, color, weight, national origin, ethnic group, religion, religious practice, disability, sexual orientation, gender or sex.

2. Oversee the building-level bullying prevention committees and work with the district-wide bullying prevention committees.

3. Identify curricular resources that support infusing civility in classroom instruction and classroom management; and provide guidance to staff as to how to access and implement those resources.

4. Coordinate, with the professional development committee, training in support of the bullying prevention committee.

5. Are responsible for monitoring and reporting on the effectiveness of the district's bullying prevention policy.

6. Address issues of harassment or any situation that threatens the emotional or physical health or safety of any student, school employee, or any person who is lawfully on school property or at a school function.

7. Address personal biases that may prevent equal treatment of all students and staff.


More Information on DASA

DASA information from the New York State Website: https://www.p12.nysed.gov/dignityact/

The Crown Act - In 2019, the Dignity for All Students Act, or DASA, was amended by the CROWN Act to add the definition of race that includes traits such as hair texture and protective hairstyles such as locs, braids, and twists in order to protect students’ access to their public education regardless of how they choose to wear/style their hair. This was signed into law in NYS in July 2019.  Visit the NYS website for more information:
http://www.nysed.gov/common/nysed/files/programs/student-support-services/understanding-crown-act.pdf

Fallsburg Code of Conduct: http://www.fallsburgcsd.net/common/pages/DisplayFile.aspx?itemId=18618760

NYS Center for School Safety- Information on DASA:  https://www.nyscfss.org/dasa-laws-and-guidance

Dignity Act Coordinators

Benjamin Cosor Elementary School

Ms. Mary Kate Stinehour, Principal
845-434-6800 ext. 3201
Email

Junior Senior High School

Mrs. Shana Bruestle,
Principal
845-434-6800 ext. 2207
Email

DASA Incident Report Form:

Click Here

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