Sensitivity training
program OK’d

The education board approves guidelines
on how to carry out an anti-harassment rule

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By Lisa Asato
lasato@starbulletin.com

State Department of Education administrators will start receiving sensitivity training by the end of the school year now that the Board of Education has approved how to carry out an anti-harassment rule.

At a meeting Thursday night, the board unanimously approved the department's recommendations on how to implement the year-old rule, which prohibits harassment based on race, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, religion, disability or sexual orientation.

Some board members and testifiers expressed concern that monitoring of the program would be done by school administrators who themselves may lack sensitivity.

"By requiring school administrators to monitor ... incident reporting ... you have no teeth," said social worker Carolyn Martinez Golojuch, a member of the committee that helped the department decide how to implement the rules.

"Wish all you want, but until it's enforced it's not worth the paper it's written on," Golojuch said after the vote was taken.

Another advisory committee member, Nancy Kern of the state Department of Health, said she was concerned that the guidelines lacked a permanent review board.

The guidelines are not specific as to what the training will involve, but it will be required for all board members, department employees and students.

Training will be scheduled for students and staff by Oct. 31, but some school administrators such as principals will be trained before the end of the school year, said Francine Grudzias, educational administrative services director.

At the suggestion of board member Michael Nakamura, the board voted to amend the guidelines to include taking possible disciplinary action against administrators who are found to overlook violations.