Reporting Bullying and Harassment

Reporting Bullying, Discrimination, Harassment, and Hazing

Olentangy Schools is committed to having a school environment free from all discrimination, bullying, harassment, and intimidation. All students, administrators, teachers, staff, and school personnel share responsibility for avoiding, discouraging, and reporting any form of unlawful discrimination. Under Federal civil rights laws discrimination based on race, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, religion, ancestry, or genetic information is strictly prohibited. Furthermore, retaliation against individuals who file a complaint is also prohibited.

Bullying, harassment, or intimidation includes any intentional, persistent, and repetitive written, verbal, graphic, electronically submitted, or physical act that a student or group of students exhibits toward another student and the behavior both: a). causes mental or physical harm to the other student AND b). is sufficiently severe that it creates an intimidating, threatening, or abusive educational environment for the victim.

When an incident arises that requires a report to be filed, please direct your complaint to the appropriate personnel below. You can also fill out an anonymous report on our Stay Safe Speak Up helpline.

All reports involving student incidents should be directed to:

Peter Stern

Assistant Director of Equity and Inclusion

peter_stern@olsd.us

(740)-657-5040

Glossary of Federal Civil Rights Laws

Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964: “No person in the United States shall, on the ground of race, color, or national origin, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving federal financial assistance.”
- Information about Title VI in education
- Information about the application of Title VI to religious and ancestry protections

Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972: “No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving federal financial assistance.”
- Information about Title IX in education
- Investigator Foundations Training

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973: “No otherwise qualified individual with a disability in the United States…shall, solely by reason of her or his disability, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving federal financial assistance.”
- Information about Section 504 in education

Age Discrimination Act of 1975: “The Age Discrimination Act of 1975 prohibits discrimination on the basis of age in programs and activities receiving federal financial assistance.”
- Information about the Age Discrimination Act

Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990: “No qualified individual with a disability shall, by reason of such disability, be excluded from participation in or be denied benefits of the services, programs, or activities of a public entity, or be subjected to discrimination by any such entity.”
- Information about ADA

Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008: “An act to prohibit discrimination on the basis of genetic information with respect to health insurance and employment.”
- Information about the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act

Frequently Asked Questions About Students and Gender Identity

How does the District address a student’s gender identity?

Like other personally identifiable information, a student’s gender identity is private and confidential under Ohio Revised Code 3319.321 and the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (“FERPA”).

The District prohibits harassment, discrimination, and bullying of all students, and that includes harassment, discrimination, and bullying on the basis of gender identity.

What is the law in Ohio with regard to gender identity and restroom use?

Ohio’s Senate Bill 104, effective February 25, 2025, requires all public school districts, colleges, and universities to designate student restrooms by biological sex. The law defines “biological sex” as “the biological indication of male and female, including sex chromosomes, naturally occurring sex hormones, gonads and non-ambiguous internal and external genitalia present at birth, without regard to an individual’s psychological, chosen or subjective experience of gender.”

The District respects the privacy and dignity of each and every student. Any student who has a need or desire for increased privacy, regardless of the reason, may request access to a single-occupancy restroom. The District’s primary aim is protecting the safety and privacy of all students, and it considers each request for accommodation on an individualized basis.

What happens if a student uses a restroom or facilities different from their biological sex?

There are very limited exceptions under the law where a student might use a restroom different from their biological sex, such as a student with a disability requiring assistance, a child under age 10 who is assisted by a family member, a person required to enter a restroom as part of their job duties, a person responding to a legitimate emergency, and accommodations such as use of single-occupancy facilities or controlled use of faculty facilities at the request of a student due to special circumstances.

Other than as explained above, using a restroom or facility different from a student’s biological sex is a violation of the Student Code of Conduct, specifically “unauthorized area.”

What is the law for locker rooms or overnight accommodations on school trips?

Under Senate Bill 104, locker rooms and overnight rooming assignments must be based on biological sex. In regard to overnight travel, students of different biological sexes may not utilize shared overnight accommodations. As with restroom use, any student who has a need or desire for increased privacy, regardless of the reason, may request access to a single occupancy space and/or share their concerns regarding overnight accommodations with their building administration for other individual options.

Does Senate Bill 104 apply to outside groups and community organizations who utilize District facilities?

The Olentangy Board of Education has adopted the following policies to address discrimination, bullying, harassment, and intimidation in the district:

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