Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Harassment Reporting Policy topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Committee adds online anonymous reporting language to harassment policies ACAA, ACAB
Summary
The committee voted to amend ACAA (student harassment/discrimination) and ACAB (employee harassment/discrimination) to require the district to maintain and publicize an easily accessible online reporting form that allows anonymous reports (which may not trigger an investigation). Both amended policies passed committee vote.
The Portland Public Schools policy committee voted to amend two harassment policies to codify the district’s online anonymous reporting process and then approved both policies as amended.
Chair Maya Alina proposed text to ACAA stating the district "strives to ensure multiple avenues for reporting concerns about harassment and discrimination, including to maintain and publicize an online reporting form that is easily accessible and that provides an option to make an anonymous report without elevating it to a formal complaint." The committee discussed that the district already uses an online system but that explicitly naming and publicizing an online form in policy would improve access and transparency.
The committee passed the amendment to ACAA by roll call and then approved the full policy as amended. Members subsequently applied the same amendment to ACAB, the parallel policy for school employees, and approved ACAB as amended.
Staff said the language was suggested by former PPS employee Tyler Schwaller and that the online reporting form is operational; codifying it in policy would require the district to maintain and publicize the option. The committee did not specify additional reporting timelines or investigation triggers; minutes reflect committee approval but not further operational details.
Next steps: Both amended policies will be forwarded to the full board for review and final action.
