Board Policy

BP 5137

Students

Positive School Climate

The Board of Education desires to provide an orderly, caring and nondiscriminatory learning environment in which all students can feel comfortable and take pride in their school and their achievements.

(cf. 0410 - Nondiscrimination in District Programs and Activities)

(cf. 5132 - Dress and Grooming)

(cf. 5144 - Discipline)

(cf. 5145.2 - Freedom of Speech/Expression: Publications Code)

(cf. 5145.3 - Nondiscrimination/Harassment)

(cf. 5145.7 - Sexual Harassment)

The Board encourages staff to teach students the meaning of equality, human dignity, and mutual respect, and to employ cooperative learning strategies that foster positive interactions in the classroom among students from diverse backgrounds. The district shall provide instruction and counseling designed to promote positive racial and ethnic identity, help students understand diverse cultures, teach them to think critically about racial bias and show them how to deal with discriminatory behavior in appropriate ways.

(cf. 6141 - Curriculum Development and Evaluation)

(cf. 6141.6 - Multicultural Education)

(cf. 6161.1 - Selection and Evaluation of Instructional Materials)

Students shall have opportunities to voice their concerns about school policies and practices and to share responsibility for solving problems that affect their school. The Superintendent or designee may initiate student courts, campus beautification projects, buddy systems, vandalism prevention campaigns and other similar programs. Staff shall encourage and reward success and achievement, participation in community projects and positive student conduct.

(cf. 5126 - Awards for Achievement)

(cf. 5131.4 - Campus Disturbances)

(cf. 5136 - Gangs)

(cf. 6142.4 - Learning through Community Service)

The schools shall not tolerate any comments or gestures which are vulgar or obscene or which denigrate others on account of sex, race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, handicap or disadvantage. Students shall be subject to disciplinary procedures for bullying other students or for using insults, slurs, or fighting words which may disrupt school activities.

The schools shall promote nonviolent conflict resolution techniques in order to encourage attitudes and behaviors that foster harmonious relations. As part of this effort, students shall be taught the skills necessary to reduce violence, including communication skills, anger management, bias reduction and mediation skills. Staff shall receive training that implements and supports conflict resolution techniques, and training in conflict resolution techniques shall be available to parents/guardians and volunteers.

Legal Reference:

EDUCATION CODE

233.5 Duty concerning instruction of students

32230-32239 School violence reduction program

35160 Authority of Board of Educations

35160.1 Broad authority of school districts

Policy PALOS VERDES PENINSULA UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT

adopted: March 8, 2001 Palos Verdes Estates, California