Board Policies

Administrative policies governing Stanly County Schools may be found, in their entirety, in the Board of Education Policy Manual on-line at www.stanlycountyschools.org.  Although it is the responsibility of all employees to be familiar with policies contained in the Policy Manual, this Handbook includes portions of some policies that may be of particular interest.

Grievance Procedure for Employees (Policy Code: 1750/7220)

It is the policy of the Board to practice reasonable and effective means of resolving difficulties which may arise among employees, to reduce potential areas of grievances, and to establish and maintain recognized channels of communication between staff and administration.  The Board, therefore, has adopted a grievance procedure as a means to examine and resolve possible problems which relate to the administration of personnel policies of the school district.

A grievance is a written claim by an employee, or employees, against another employee that: 

a) there has been a violation, misapplication, or misinterpretation of state or federal law or regulation, school board policy, or administrative regulation;

b) an employee has been subject to discrimination on the basis of race, religion, sex, national origin, age, handicap, or disability; or

c) there exists a physical condition that jeopardizes an employee's health, safety, or ability to discharge responsibilities properly and effectively.  

A grievance also includes decisions subject to appeal under G.S. 115C-45(c) or 115C-305.  A grievance does not include any matter for which the method of review is prescribed by law, regulation or policy, and does not include any matter in which the Board of Education lacks authority to act.

Prohibition against Discrimination, Harassment & Bullying (Policy Code: 1710/4021/7230)

The board believes that all employees and students should be free of unlawful discrimination, including harassment, as a part of a safe, orderly and inviting working and learning environment. Discrimination is the failure to treat all persons equally where no reasonable distinction can be made between those favored and those not favored. Discrimination may include treating persons as members of groups rather than on the basis of individual capacities or merits. Discrimination prevents individuals from achieving their full potential.The board commits itself to non-discrimination in all its educational and employment activities. The board expressly prohibits unlawful discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, pregnancy, religion, age or disability. The board also prohibits retaliation against an employee or student who has exercised any rights made available through state or federal law. Any violation of this policy is considered a serious violation and appropriate action will be taken in response to a violation.

The superintendent has appointed the following individuals to coor

Harassment Defined

Harassment and bullying are any pattern of gestures or written, electronic or verbal communications, or any physical act or any threatening communication that takes placed on school property, at any school-sponsored function, or on a school bus, and that:

·       Places a student or school employee in actual reasonable fear of harm to his or her person or damage to his or her property; or

·       Creates or is certain to create a hostile environment by substantially interfering with or impairing a student’s educational performance, opportunities or benefits.

“Hostile environment” means that the victim subjectively views the conduct as harassment or bullying and that the conduct is objectively severe or pervasive enough that a reasonable person would agree that it is harassment or bullying.

Harassment and bullying include, but are not limited to, acts as defined above that are reasonably perceived as being motivated by any actual or perceived differentiating characteristic or by association with a person who has or is perceived to have a differentiating characteristic, such as race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, gender, socioeconomic status, academic status, gender identity, physical appearance, sexual orientation, or mental, physical, developmental or sensory disability.

Sexual Harassment Defined

The board believes that all employees and students are entitled to work and study in school-related environments that are free of sexual harassment. To this end, the board prohibits employees and students from engaging in sexual harassment. When evidence of sexual harassment is established, disciplinary action may be taken, up to and including dismissal for employees or long-term suspension for students. Sexual harassment is one form of harassment. Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature constitute sexual harassment when:

1. submission to the conduct is made, either explicitly or implicitly, a term or condition of an individual’s employment, academic progress or completion of a school-related activity; or

2. submission to or rejection of such conduct is used as the basis for employment decisions affecting such individual, or in the case of a student, submission to or rejection of such conduct is used in evaluating the individual’s performance within a course of study or other school-related activity; or

3. such conduct is sufficiently severe, persistent or pervasive so that it has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an employee’s work or performance or a student’s educational performance; limiting a student’s ability to participate in or benefit from an educational program or environment; or creating an abusive, intimidating, hostile, or offensive work or educational environment.

Examples of sexually harassing conduct include, but are not limited to,fondling, grabbing, pinching, kissing or any other deliberate, unwelcome and/or offensive touching.

Examples of Non-physical or Verbal Sexual Harassment:  Examples of non-physical or verbal sexual harassment include, but are not limited to, any unwelcome and/or offensive comments or gestures of a sexual nature, including:

        ·       continued or repeated sexual or lewd jokes or comments

        ·       sexually degrading words used toward a person or to describe an individual

        ·       continued or repeated verbal remarks about an individual's body

        ·       continued or repeated offensive sexual flirtations, advances or propositions

        ·       pressure for sexual activity

        ·       suggestions or demands for sexual involvement accompanied by implied or overt promises of                             preferential treatment or threats; or

        ·       the display of sexually suggestive objects or pictures

Sexual harassment does not include personal compliments welcomed by the recipient or social interactions or relations freely entered into by an individual.  It is possible for sexual harassment to occur at various levels: between fellow student and co-workers; between supervisors and subordinates; between employees and students; or imposed by non-employees, including visitors, on employees and/or students. In addition, sexual harassment can occur between members of the opposite gender or the same gender. Romantic sexual advances toward students by employees or romantic or sexual relationships between school district employees and students are never appropriate, regardless of whether such relationships are consensual or outside the definition of sexual harassment. Such relationships are prohibited. Employees engaging in inappropriate relationships with students will be subject to disciplinary action, including dismissal and criminal prosecution.  Employees who feel they have been subjected to harassment should report concerns to their immediate supervisor or the Director of Human Resources.

Staff Responsibilities (SCS Policy #5036)

All staff members will be expected to carry out their assigned responsibilities with conscientious concern. Essential to the success of school operations and the instructional program are the following specific responsibilities, which will be required of all personnel:

        ·       Be familiar with, support, comply with and, when appropriate, enforce SCS Board policies, administrative procedures, school rules and applicable laws;

        ·       Attend to the safety and welfare of students, including the need to provide appropriate supervision;

        ·       Demonstrate integrity respect and commitment to the truth through attitudes, behavior and communication to others;

        ·       Accept responsibility for both the integrity and consequences of his or her actions;

        ·       Address or appropriately direct any complaints concerning school employees, the school program or school operations;

        ·       Support and encourage good school­ community relations in all interactions with students, parents and members of the community;

        ·       Faithfully and promptly attend work;

        ·       Maintain and protect school property; and

        ·       Maintain the confidentiality of student and personnel records and information as required by law.

Fitness for Duty (SCS Policies #5065 & #5070-R)

It is the intent of the Stanly County Schools that work environments must be free of the presence of illegal drugs and alcohol and that employees perform their tasks safely and efficiently without the influence of illegal drugs or alcohol. The school system recognizes the use of drugs and/or alcohol or the dependency thereon as a serious health, safety, and security problem. Therefore, employees are prohibited from possessing, using, manufacturing, dispensing, distributing or being under the influence of illegal drugs or alcohol while on duty, on or off the premises of the Stanly County Schools.  All persons with a CDL license and/or involved with the transportation of pupils will be required, upon initial employment, to have a drug assessment scheduled by Stanly County Schools to demonstrate freedom from the presence of illegal drugs. An annual random test of up to fifty percent (50%) of these employees will also be given throughout the year.  In addition, it is the responsibility of the employee to instruct his/her supervisor if there is any prescribed medication or physical condition (such as fatigue) which may impede his/her discharge of the responsibilities or duties of his/her job.

Smoking and Tobacco Products (SCS Policy #5085)

The Stanly County School Board recognizes that the use of tobacco products is a health, safety, and environmental hazard for students, employees, visitors, and school facilities.  In addition, the Board recognizes that it has an obligation to provide positive role models in school and to promote a healthy learning and working environment, free from unwanted smoke, for the students, employees, and visitors to the school campus.

Accordingly, the Board enacts the following:

        1.     Students may not possess or use any tobacco product at any time on school premises, including school vehicles, or while participating in school events, both indoors and outdoors on school property.

        2.     School employees, volunteers, and visitors to the school may not at any time use any tobacco product on school premises, or at any school sponsored events, both indoor and outdoor on school property. The prohibition of display of tobacco products will not extend to display that has a legitimate instructional  purpose.

        3.   School employees and volunteers may not at any time display or use any tobacco product in school vehicles.

        4.     No student, employee, or visitor will be permitted under any circumstance to use tobacco products in any outdoor facility owned or leased or contracted for by the Stanly County (City) Schools.

For the purposes of this policy, "tobacco product" is defined to include cigarettes, cigars, blunts, bidis, pipes, chewing tobacco, snuff, and any other items containing or reasonably resembling tobacco or tobacco products.  "Tobacco use" includes smoking, chewing, dipping, or any other use of tobacco products.

Relationships with Students (SCS Policy # 5060)
All employees of the Stanly County Board of Education are prohibited from dating, courting, or entering into a romantic, flirtatious or sexual relationship with any student enrolled in the Stanly County Public School System, regardless of the student's age. Employees engaging in such inappropriate conduct will be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal.

Any employee who has reason to believe that any other employee is inappropriately involved with a student, as described above, shall report this information to the Superintendent. An employee who fails to inform the Superintendent of a reported or suspected inappropriate relationship between an employee and a student may be subject to disciplinary action.

See 5060-A for additional guidelines.

Legal Reference: G.S. 115C-47(18), -308

Adopted: May 13, 1997

Revised: May 6, 2014