7:10 Equal Educational Opportunities

Equal educational and extracurricular opportunities shall be available for all students without regard to color, race, nationality, religion, sex, sexual orientation, ancestry, age, physical or mental disability, gender identity, status of being homeless, immigration status, order of protection status, actual or potential marital or parental status, including pregnancy. Further, the District will not knowingly enter into agreements with any entity or any individual that discriminates against students on the basis of sex or any other protected status, except that the District remains viewpoint neutral when granting access to school facilities under School Board policy 8:20, Community Use of School Facilities. Any student may file a discrimination grievance by using Board policy 2:260, Uniform Grievance Procedure.

Sex Equity

No student shall, based on sex, sexual orientation, or gender identity be denied equal access to programs, activities, services, or benefits or be limited in the exercise of any right, privilege, advantage, or denied equal access to educational and extracurricular programs and activities.

Any student may file a sex equity complaint by using Board policy 2:260, Uniform Grievance Procedure. A student may appeal the Board’s resolution of the complaint to the Regional Superintendent (pursuant to 105 ILCS 5/3-10) and, thereafter, to the State Superintendent of Education (pursuant to 105 ILCS 5/2-3.8)

Administrative Implementation

The Superintendent shall appoint a Nondiscrimination Coordinator, who also serves as the District’s Title IX Coordinator. The Superintendent and Building Principal shall use reasonable measures to inform staff members and students of this policy and related grievance procedures.

LEGAL REF.:

20 U.S.C. §1681 et seq., Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972; 34 C.F.R. Part 106.

29 U.S.C. §791 et seq., Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

42 U.S.C. §11431 et seq., McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act.

Good News Club v. Milford Central Sch., 533 U.S. 98 (2001).

Ill. Constitution, Art. I, §18.

105 ILCS 5/3.25b, 5/3.25d(b), 5/10-20.12, 5/10-20.60 (P.A.s 100-29 and 100-163, final citations pending), 5/10-22.5, and 5/27-1.

775 ILCS 5/1-101 et seq., Illinois Human Rights Act.

775 ILCS 35/5, Religious Freedom Restoration Act.

23 Ill.Admin.Code §1.240 and Part 200

CROSS REF.: 2:260 (Uniform Grievance Procedure), 2:265 (Title IX Sexual Harassment Grievance Procedure), 6:65 (Student Social and Emotional Development), 7:20 (Harassment of Students Prohibited), 7:50 (School Admissions and Student Transfers To and From Non-District Schools), 7:60 (Residence), 7:130 (Student Rights and Responsibilities), 7:160 (Student Appearance), 7:180 (Prevention of and Response to Bullying, Intimidation, and Harassment), 7:185 (Teen Dating Violence Prohibited), 7:250 (Student Support Services), 7:330 (Student Use of Buildings - Equal Access), 7:340 (Student Records), 8:20 (Community Use of School Facilities)

Adopted: October 15, 2020