APS Directive Mandates Reporting of Student Discrimination and Harassment

Students, families can file a complaint directly with APS Equal Opportunity Services and Title IX.

Albuquerque Public Schools is reinforcing its commitment to a safe, non-discriminatory learning environment through its procedural directive on student discrimination and harassment. 

The comprehensive policy, identified as PJ 14 Discrimination and Harassment: Students, strictly prohibits discrimination and harassment based on protected class, including but not limited to race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and disability.

The directive places a clear responsibility on both students and school personnel to address and report potential violations.

Students who believe they have been subjected to discrimination or harassment are strongly urged to report the incident immediately. Reports can be made to any school official, such as a principal, counselor or teacher or directly to Equal Opportunity Services by filling out the online EOS Complaint Form.

Critically, the directive identifies all APS employees as mandatory reporters. Any school official who observes, hears about, or is informed of potential discrimination or harassment must immediately notify their principal or supervisor, who is then responsible for forwarding the information to EOS, which houses the Title IX Coordinator. Failure to report may result in disciplinary action.

Once a report is received, the district is mandated to take prompt and effective action, which may include launching a fair and impartial investigation. The primary goals of this action are to immediately stop the prohibited behavior, prevent it from recurring and remedy its effects on the student and the overall learning environment.

In accordance with federal regulations, the APS directive also strictly forbids any form of retaliation against an individual who files a report or participates in an investigation. The district encourages students, families and staff to consult the full text of the procedural directive on the APS website for complete details regarding their rights and the complaint process. 

There is also a procedural directive protecting staff from discrimination and harassment, and similar reporting requirements and processes apply.