The NYS Board of Regents recently adopted an amendment regarding bullying and discrimination addressed in the Dignity for All Students Act (DASA) regulations. The amendment was passed to clarify how acts of discrimination, harassment and bullying should be reported to school administrators and how the Dignity Act Coordinator would investigate such acts with a specific clarification regarding transgender students.

Bret Apthorpe, Jamestown Public School superintendent, said while the Board of Regents amended the act, for the district, “it doesn’t change a thing” in many halls within the district.

The clarification included how schools should report on incidents that include denial of services to locker rooms, changing rooms and bathrooms; incidents that are relating to the dress code regarding a student’s specific grooming or appearance standards; and the use of a student’s pronouns or pronunciation of names.

DASA was created in 2010 with the idea of creating a school environment that was safe and supportive for all students. The amendments emphasized the way in which schools are supposed to report such incidents.

“School administrators, educators and staff work day in and day out to ensure all children feel welcome and included at school,” Board of Regents Chancellor Betty A. Rosa said. “While the federal government is repealing the rights of our transgender students, New York will not waver in its commitment to protect transgender –and all–students from bullying, harassment and discrimination. We hope school leaders will use these examples to help illustrate for all school employees the types of unacceptable incidents that must be reported and investigated.”

Apthorpe said the amendment changes little at Jamestown Public Schools because the district already follows DASA regulations strictly.

“Jamestown is already under a zero-tolerance rule,” he said regarding incidents of harassment, bullying or discrimination.

Apthorpe said the statewide clarification appeared to be more of a “political statement” to ensure that “nothing (has) changed in New York state” contrary to changes made by the federal government.

Apthorpe said that the district has already emphasized its no tolerance policy when it comes to harassment, discrimination and bullying. As for student comfortability, he said the district staff already makes a variety of options available for students.

“We help any kid with everything they feel uncomfortable with,” he said. “It doesn’t matter if they’re transgender or not. What matters is that they’re safe.”

“Bathrooms, showers, locker rooms, we work it out for them,” he continued. “That’s probably true for every school.”