ACAD - Hazing
Maine statute defines injurious hazing as “any action or situation, including harassing behavior that recklessly or intentionally endangers the mental or physical health of any school personnel or a student enrolled in a school or any activity expected of a student as a condition of joining or maintaining membership in a group that humiliates, degrades, abuses or endangers the student regardless of the student’s willingness to participate in the activity.”
It is the policy of the Falmouth School Board that injurious hazing activities of any type, either on or off school property, by any student, staff member, group or organization affiliated with this school district, are inconsistent with the educational process and shall be prohibited at all times.
No administrator, faculty member, or other employee of the Falmouth Schools shall encourage, permit, condone, or tolerate injurious hazing activities. No student, including leaders of student organizations, shall plan, encourage, or engage in injurious hazing activities.
Persons not associated with Falmouth Schools who fail to abide by this policy may be subject to ejection from school property and/or other measures as may be available under the law.
Administrators, faculty members, students, and all other employees who fail to abide by this policy may be subject to disciplinary action which may include suspension, expulsion, or other appropriate measures.
In the case of an organization affiliated with the Falmouth School Department which authorizes hazing, penalties may include rescission of permission for that organization to operate on school property or to receive any other benefit of affiliation with the schools.
These penalties shall be in addition to any civil or criminal penalties to which the violator or organization may be subject.
The Superintendent shall assume responsibility for administering this policy. In the event that an individual or organization disagrees with an action – or lack of action – on the part of the Superintendent in carrying out the provisions of this policy, that individual or organization may appeal to the School Board. The ruling of the School Board, with respect to the provisions of this policy, shall be final.
A copy of this policy shall be included in all school, parent, and faculty handbooks or otherwise distributed to all school employees and students.
Legal Reference: 20-MRSA § 6553
Cross Reference:
ACAA – Harassment and Sexual Harassment of Students
ACAB – Harassment and Sexual Harassment of Employees
JICIA - Weapons, Violence and School Safety
Adopted: March 22, 1999
Revised: October 18, 1999
Revised: April 27, 2020