Racism Policy
School policy on racism, discrimination, and sexual harassment
Category : Discipline
Application : Staff Learners and Parents
Purpose : To outline the school’s stand on this issue.
Racism, discrimination, and sexual harassment are based on the assumption by some groups and individuals that certain groups are better or more worthy than others as a result of perceived physical and inherited differences.
This school rejects this notion as false, and believes that racism, discrimination, and sexual harassment in any form is unethical and unacceptable. It also believes that racism, discrimination, and sexual harassment pervert understanding, and inhibit both the perpetrator and the victim from reaching their full potential.
The school is committed to working towards the elimination of racism, discrimination, and prejudice in its corporate conduct and in the conduct of all members of the school community, but most particularly its staff and students.
The school will not tolerate racism, sexism, slurs, discrimination, or harassment of any kind, and will rigorously investigate any allegations of this.
Anyone who feels that she is a victim of racial slurs, discrimination, or sexual harassment should report the matter to any member of staff. The staff member approached by the complainant must report the matter to the principal as a matter of urgency. Any report of such action must be treated as confidential, and the person reporting the incident may do so without fear of prejudice.
The matter will be investigated by the principal or her delegate, and the matter will be dealt with either informally or formally. The informal procedure will be used where the investigation shows that the racism, slur, discrimination or sexual harassment may have been unintentional, and that the perpetrator may not have been aware of the fact that his or her behaviour was offensive or unacceptable. In these circumstances, mediation and counselling will be used to resolve the problem. The formal procedure will be used where the investigation shows that the racism, slur, discrimination or sexual harassment was deliberate and intended. In these instances the matter will be dealt with in terms of the school’s code of conduct. In terms of this code, racial slurs, discrimination and harassment are considered to be serious misconduct as defined in the South African Schools Act, and those found guilty face possible suspension and expulsion.