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Anti-Hazing & Nondiscriminatory Policy

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Definition of Hazing Under Pennsylvania law:

Any action or situation which recklessly or intentionally endangers the mental of physical health of safety of a person or which willfully destroys or removes public or private property for the purpose of initiation or admission into or affiliation with, or as a condition of or continued membership in, any organization. The term shall include, but not limited to, any brutality of a physical nature, such as whipping, beating, branding, forced calisthenics, exposure to the elements, forced consumption of any food, liquor, drug or other substance, or any other force physical activity which could adversely affect the physical health and safety of the individual, and shall include any activity which would subject the individual to extreme mental stress, such as sleep deprivation, forced exclusion from social contact, forced conduct which could result in extreme embarrassment, or any other forced activity which could adversely affect the mental health of dignity of the individual, or any willful destruction or removal of public or private property. For the purpose of this definition, any activity as described in definition upon which the initiation or admission into or affiliation with or continued membership in an organization is directly or indirectly conditioned shall be presumed to be "forced" activity, the willingness of an individual to participate in such activity notwithstanding.

All athletic coaches involved in organizations within the school shall be provided with a copy of this anti-hazing policy, its rules, penalties and program of enforcement. This policy shall apply to actions conducted on or off campus or other school property whenever such acts are deemed to constitute hazing.

Persons Cover

This policy prohibits harassment, hazing, demeaning behaviors and/or bullying of any employee or students by any other employee, student, vendor or visitor.

Enforcement of Policy

The Principal shall answer questions about this policy, investigate complaints and take appropriate corrective action. Any person who feels that he or she has been a victim of harassment, hazing, demeaning behaviors and/or bullying shall bring the problem to the immediate attention of the Principal.

The school will investigate all allegations in as prompt and confidential manner as possible and will take appropriate corrective action when warranted. All complaints and findings will be documented. Any employee or student who is determined, as a result of such an investigation, to have engaged in harassment, hazing, demeaning behaviors and/or bullying in violation of this policy will be subject to appropriate disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment in the case of an employee and dismissal in the case of a student or volunteer.

Retaliation in any form against an employee, student, or volunteer who exercises his or her right to make a good faith complaint or harassment, hazing, demeaning behavior, or bullying under school policy is strictly prohibited. Any employee, student, or volunteer who retaliates against another employee, student, or volunteer for making a complaint of one of these behaviors will be subjected to disciplinary action. Disciplinary action may include termination of employment in the case of an employee or suspension or dismissal from school in the case of a student or volunteer.

Nondiscriminatory Policy as to Students

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Advis is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization comprised of 131 independent schools in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland and Delaware.

In accordance with IRS regulations, all ADVIS member schools adhere to and support the Statement of Nondiscrimination as to Student Enrollment as the fundamental position they advocate.

Gwynedd Mercy Academy High School admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students of this school.  We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of their educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school administered programs.

Title IX

Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (“Title IX”) prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in any federally funded education program or activity.  Sexual Harassment is a form of sex discrimination. Any student, employee or applicant for employment or admission to the school who believes that he or she has been discriminated against on the basis of sex, in violation of Title IX, may file a complaint with the Title IX coordinator designated below.  The Title IX Coordinator will assist the complainant in identifying the appropriate school policy (with its grievance procedure) to resolve the complaint in a prompt and equitable manner.  The Title IX Coordinator may consult with other school administrators, as needed, to resolve the complaint in the most effective manner.