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.”

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, are inconsistent with the educational process and shall be prohibited at all times.

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 as may be available under the law.

Administrators, faculty 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 an organization affiliated with this school unit which authorizes injurious 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.

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-A MRSA § 6553

DATE ADOPTED: July 1, 2003