Questions or Concerns
If you have any questions and/or concerns related to the Dignity Act, contact the DASA coordinator in your child’s school:
- Park Avenue Elementary School
- Jeanette Myrick, jmyrick@wvcsd.org
- Sanfordville Elementary School
- Grace Geysen, ggeysen@wvcsd.org
- Warwick Valley Middle School
- Debra Girardi, dgirardi@wvcsd.org
- Debra Girardi, dgirardi@wvcsd.org
- Warwick Valley High School
- Tamara Scotto, tscotto@wvcsd.org
- Danielle Kraus, dkraus@wvcsd.org
The Dignity for All Students Act (DASA) was enacted by the State of New York in 2010, and implemented in July 2012. Its purpose is to provide students with a school environment that is free of discrimination and harassment by peers and school personnel.
Overview
The goal of the Dignity Act is to create a safe and supportive school climate, where students can learn and focus, rather than fear being discriminated against and/or verbally and/or physically harassed.
All public elementary and secondary students have the right to attend school in a safe, welcoming, considerate and caring environment.
The Dignity Act states that NO student shall be subjected to harassment or discrimination by employees or students on school property or at a school function based on their actual or perceived race, color, weight, national origin, ethnic group, religion, religious practice, disability, sexual orientation, sex, gender identity or expression. DASA is intended to protect all students.
Highlights
Q. Who is protected by the Dignity Act?
A. All public elementary and secondary school students are protected by the Dignity Act.
Q. What does the Dignity Act prohibit?
A. The Dignity Act prohibits the harassment and discrimination of students by students and school personnel.
Q. How does the Dignity Act relate to bullying and hazing?
A. Bullying and hazing are forms of harassment and discrimination.
Q. What physical spaces are covered by the Dignity Act?
A. The Dignity Act applies to behavior on school property (including athletic fields, playgrounds and parking lots), in school buildings, on a school bus/vehicle, as well as at school-sponsored events or activities. The Dignity Act of 2013 has been expanded to include cyber-bullying defined as harassment by any form of electronic communication, and include incidents occurring off school property that create or would foreseeably create a risk of substantial disruption within the school environment.
Q. How does the Dignity Act relate to the school’s Code of Conduct?
A. The Code of Conduct has been amended to reflect the prohibition of discrimination and harassment of students by students and staff – in age-appropriate plain language.