A Guide for Students and FamiliesBottom of Form

St. Andrew’s College recognizes that to achieve its vision, the environment it provides must be one which demonstrates respect, dignity, equity and safety for all members of the St. Andrew’s College community.

St. Andrew’s College promotes responsibility, respect, civility and academic excellence in a safe learning and teaching environment. All members of the St. Andrew’s College community have the right to be safe, feel safe in the school, and have the right to expect the school to take steps to create an environment of mutual respect. Any form of discrimination or harassment is prohibited, and the school considers all complaints seriously. The school commits to timely investigations that are thorough, objective and fair to all affected parties. Every person has the right to report an incident, or suspected incident, without fear of reprisal.

St. Andrew’s College’s faculty and administration have a special responsibility in this area — not only must their own conduct be above reproach, but they are in a position to observe and identify possible instances of discrimination and harassment. All complaints will be treated with discretion and respect for the individuals involved; however, anonymous complaints cannot be investigated. All relevant documentation will be maintained in strict confidence, subject to the school’s ability to conduct a full and thorough investigation.

Any allegation of discrimination or harassment will be dealt with in accordance with St. Andrew’s  procedures, and will meet or exceed the applicable standards set out in relevant legislation, including the Child and Family Services Act, Ontario Human Rights Code, Education Act, and Ontario College of Teachers Act, 1996.

Purpose of the Policy
The purpose of the Mutual Respect Policy is to maintain a working and learning environment free from acts of harassment. This policy is a clear statement of the school’s commitment and determination to act promptly against any incident of harassment and to create an environment where harassment will not be tolerated. The objectives of the Policy are to:

• demonstrate and promote the commitment of St. Andrew’s College to protect the dignity and rights of its students, volunteers and employees;
• alert and educate students, volunteers and employees and all of the St. Andrew’s College community to the fact that harassment is prohibited under the laws of the Province of Ontario;
• take immediate action and provide confidential, impartial and effective procedures to resolve complaints in ways that respect the rights of all parties;
• provide appropriate remedies to complainants in recognition of the impact of harassment;
• identify various roles and responsibilities for the maintenance of a harassment-free environment; and
• provide appropriate responses and consequences where harassment has occurred.

Discrimination
Discrimination generally refers to practices or actions toward members of a group which results in them being disadvantaged. Discrimination is prohibited by the Ontario Human Rights Code.

Section 1 of the Human Rights Code provides that every person has a right to equal treatment with respect to services, goods and facilities, without discrimination because of race, ancestry, place of origin, colour, ethnic origin, citizenship, creed, sex, sexual orientation, age, marital status, same-sex partnership status, family status, disability or the receipt of public assistance.

Harassment
Harassment is a form of discrimination and is against the law. Harassment is defined in the Human Rights Code as “engaging in a course of vexatious comment or conduct that is known, or ought reasonably to be known, to be unwelcome.”

Harassment may be physical (e.g. pushing or other unwelcome contact), verbal (e.g. threats or insults), written or visual (e.g. graffiti or display of offensive and hurtful materials designed to exclude or marginalize their target) and includes use of the Internet. Harassment does not necessarily need to target a specific student or individual. A single act or expression can constitute harassment, for example, if it is a serious violation.

Examples of Harassment
Harassment can manifest itself in many ways. Types of behaviour which constitute harassment include, but are not limited to:

• jokes or hostile comments relating to physical characteristics, ancestry or age;
• physical or verbal teasing;
• display or passing around of sexist, racist or derogatory pictures, materials or graffiti;
• intimidation, offensive remarks, belittling and threatening behaviour;
• leering (suggestive staring), obscene and/or offensive gestures;
• inquiries or comments about a person’s sex life or sexual preferences;
• practical jokes which cause awkwardness or embarrassment, endanger safety or negatively affect others;
• derogatory nicknames; and/or
• unwelcome physical or sexual contact.

Allegations of discrimination and/or harassment will be investigated by St. Andrew’s College Facilitators who are trained for this role, in accordance with the procedures outlined in this brochure.

What can you do?
If you are a victim, know someone who is a victim or see behaviour which you feel may be discriminatory or harassing:

• if it is safe to do so, tell the person to stop;
• write down what happened; include names, how often it has happened, time, date, location, any witnesses, names of anyone else you have told, and if you know of anyone else who may have experienced similar conduct; and
• if you are a student, talk with a St. Andrew’s College Facilitator to determine the appropriate next step.

If you are unsure if what you witnessed and/or experienced is considered to be discrimination, harassment, violence, bullying or abuse, or if you are not comfortable telling the person to stop, talk with a St. Andrew’s College Facilitator. All reports are taken very seriously and will be handled in a timely and respectful way for everyone involved.

If for any reason, you do not wish to go to a designated St. Andrew’s College Facilitator, please report the incident to an adult you trust, either at home or at the school. You may also file a complaint directly with the Ontario Human Rights Commission.

The Role of a St. Andrew’s College Facilitator
St. Andrew’s College has trained Facilitators who are listed at the end of this document and will also be listed in the St. Andrew’s College Directory on our website.

A Facilitator will:

• explain the options available to you;
• provide support and help you talk with the person involved, if you wish to do so;
• arrange for a mediated discussion to resolve the issue;
• help you make a formal complaint;
• provide access to counselling and/or other support as needed; and
• advise students of their right to inform parent(s)/guardian, legal counsel and/or the Ontario Human Rights Commission.

What happens when you talk to a Facilitator?
The Facilitator will listen to your concerns to determine with you what the appropriate next steps should be. Where necessary, steps can be taken to ensure the safety and protection of yourself and others. You may decide you wish to talk to the individual(s) involved on your own; or if all parties agree, the Facilitator can arrange to mediate a discussion with you and the individual(s) involved, in order to find a reasonable resolution. The Facilitator is responsible for keeping confidential documentation of discussions held, and of any agreements made. Should informal resolution not be possible, you can make a formal complaint through the Facilitator. In cases of alleged harassment between an employee and student, a formal investigation will be undertaken.

What happens with a Formal Harassment Complaint?
Upon the filing of a written complaint with a Facilitator, a formal investigation will be undertaken.

• The complaint will be discussed with the respondent.
• The respondent will have the opportunity to provide a response which will be provided to the complainant.
• At least two investigators will be assigned to review the facts, conduct interviews and other appropriate means of investigation.  The complainant, respondent and witnesses may each have a support person of their choosing (who is not involved in the complaint or investigation) present during any interviews.
• Results of the investigation, including recommendations, will be documented and a copy will be provided to all parties involved.
• Facilitators have the option of consulting with a member of the Mutual Respect Team during the investigation.
• The Headmaster or his designate will prepare a written decision outlining the findings and disciplinary or other actions to be taken.

Consequences
The intent of discipline is to teach and to guide. Consequences will vary according to the individual and the circumstances. Consequences may include, but are not limited to:

• removal from a school activity or program;
• removal from classes for a period of time;
• formal suspension from school for one or more days; and/or
• expulsion from school.

In these instances, conditions to return to school will be discussed with parents and students in accordance with school policy.

Expulsion of a Student
St. Andrew’s College reserves the right to expel a student where the continued attendance of that student would not be in the best interests of the student or the school. The school also reserves the right to expel a student where his behaviour seriously jeopardizes the ability of the school to guarantee the dignity and safety of its students, or interferes with learning.

Timelines
All complaints must be reported within six months of the most recent alleged harassing behaviour. Permission to proceed with an issue outside this timeline may be obtained in consultation with the Headmaster.

Frivolous or Vexatious Complaints
St. Andrew’s College does not condone frivolous or vexatious complaints. If it is determined as a result of an investigation that a complaint was made maliciously with intent to harm or made in bad faith, formal disciplinary action will be taken against the complainant.

Confidentiality and Notification of Parent(s)
Facilitators will, at the informal stage, treat information in confidence.  Please see the S.A.C.  Policy on Confidentiality (next item).

At the mediated discussion stage, both parties to the complaint are aware of the information.  Information is confidential subject to the school’s need to protect parties involved and to ensure a full and thorough investigation. Where appropriate, parent(s) of students will be notified as soon as possible.

At the formal investigation stage individuals, other than the parties involved, may need to be interviewed. Parent(s) of students will be notified in all cases requiring formal investigation.

Incidents of violence, bullying and abuse will be investigated by the Headmaster or his designate, according to St. Andrew’s College’s procedures. In cases of serious violence and/or abuse, the law requires that we report to appropriate external authorities who will conduct an investigation and guide the appropriate actions. In such cases, the Facilitator, Headmaster and/or his designate will co-operate fully with the authorities.

Policy on Confidentiality

At the core of the student-teacher relationship there has to be a trust that faculty will act, at all times, in the best interests of the student. St. Andrew’s College wants to promote an atmosphere where students who are struggling with issues in their lives can seek out faculty in order to get assistance.

When trust between faculty and students results in conversations taking place that suggest a student needs the guidance and assistance of an adult, but wishes to do so “confidentially”, the following guidelines must be understood by the faculty member:

Ø       First and foremost, their responsibilities under the Child and Family Services Act, Ontario Human Rights Code, Education Act and Ontario College of Teachers;

Ø       Further, if a student asks for “confidentiality”, it must be explained to the student that the limits of confidentiality extend only to the point where it is deemed the student or another student might be at risk of harm. It must be explained that the conversation will be shared with the Supervisor for Student Facilitators to ensure the safety of all students, at all times, and the protection of faculty.

 

Confidentiality is based on four basic principles:

1. Respect for an individual’s right to privacy;

2. Respect for human relationships in which personal information is shared;

3. Appreciation of the importance of confidentiality to both individuals and society;

4. Expectations that those who pledge to safeguard confidential information will do so under the conditions outlined above.

 Steering Committee 

Ted Staunton, Headmaster

David Galajda, Director of Residential Life

Sherrill Knight, Director of Human Resources

Kevin McHenry, Assistant Headmaster, Academics/Upper School

Greg Reid, Director of Athletics

Courtenay Shrimpton, Assistant Headmaster, Student Life

Faculty Facilitators

Middle School:

Claudia Rose-Donahoe

Sabrina D’Angelo

Scott Lewis

 

Upper School:

David Stewart

Claudio Numa

Amanda Thorne

  

February 2008