Hickman County Board of Education
Descriptor Code:
Issued Date:
Descriptor Term:
5.500
05/05/25
Discrimination / Harassment of
Rescinds:
Issued:
Employees (Sexual, Racial, Ethnic,
5.500
03/06/23
Religious)
1
Employees shall be provided a work environment free from sexual, racial, ethnic and religious
2
discrimination/harassment (including the definition of antisemitism found in policy 4.100). It shall be a
3
violation of this policy for any employee or any student to discriminate against or harass an employee
4
through disparaging conduct or communication that is sexual, racial, ethnic or religious in nature. The
5
following guidelines are set forth to protect employees from discrimination/harassment.
6
Employee discrimination/harassment will not be tolerated.¹ Discrimination/harassment is defined as
7
conduct, advances, gestures or words either written or spoken of a sexual, racial, ethnic or religious
8
nature which:
9
1. Unreasonably interfere with the individual's work or performance; or
10
2. Create an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment; or
11
3. Imply that submission to such conduct is made an explicit or implicit term of employment;
12
4. Imply that submission to or rejection of such conduct will be used as a basis for an employment
13
decision affecting the harassed employee.
14
Alleged victims of sexual, racial, ethnic and religious discrimination/harassment shall report these
15
incidents immediately.² This report should be made to the immediate supervisor except when the
16
immediate supervisor is the offending party. If the immediate supervisor is the offending party, the report
17
may be made to the Federal Rights Coordinator or the director of schools. Allegations of
18
discrimination/harassment shall be fully investigated (as set forth in Complaints and Grievances 5.500).
19
An oral complaint may be submitted; however, such complaint must be reduced to writing to ensure a
20
more complete investigation. The complaint should include the following information:
21
1. Identity of the alleged victim and person accused;
22
2. Location, date, time and circumstances surrounding the alleged incident;
23
3. Description of what happened;
24
4. Identity of witnesses; and
25
5. Any other evidence available.
26
The privacy and anonymity of all parties and witnesses to complaints will be respected. However,
27
because an individual's need for confidentiality must be balanced with obligations to cooperate with
28
police investigations or legal proceedings, to provide due process to the accused, to conduct a thorough
29
investigation or to take necessary action to resolve a complaint, the identity of parties and witnesses may
30
be disclosed in appropriate circumstances to individuals with a need to know.
31
A substantiated charge against an employee shall result in disciplinary action up to and including
32
termination. A substantiated charge against a student may result in corrective or disciplinary action up
33
to and including suspension.
Version Date: June 10, 2025
Discrimination / Harassment of Employees
5.500
1
There will be no retaliation against any person who reports discrimination/harassment or participates in
2
an investigation. However, any employee who refuses to cooperate or gives false information during the
3
course of any investigation may be subject to disciplinary action. The willful filing of a false report will
4
itself be considered harassment and will be treated as such.
5
An employee disciplined for violation of this policy may appeal the decision by contacting the Federal
6
Rights Coordinator or the director of schools.
Legal References
Cross References
1. 29 CFR $1604.11: TCA 5-23-104; : Public Acts of
Appeals To and Appearances Before the Board 1.404
2025. Chapter No. 293
Equal Opportunity Employment 5.104
2.
20 USCA § 1681
Complaints and Grievances 5.501
Title IX & Sexual Harassment 6.3041
Page 2 of 2

## Table 1

|  | Hickman County Board of | Education |  |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
|  | Descriptor Term: Discrimination / Harassment of | Descriptor Code: 5.500 | Issued Date: 05/05/25 |
|  | Employees (Sexual, Racial, Ethnic, Religious) | Rescinds: 5.500 | Issued: 03/06/23 |

## Table 2

|  | Legal References | Cross References |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1. 2. | 29 CFR $1604.11: TCA 5-23-104; : Public Acts of 2025. Chapter No. 293 20 USCA § 1681 | Appeals To and Appearances Before the Board 1.404 Equal Opportunity Employment 5.104 Complaints and Grievances 5.501 Title IX & Sexual Harassment 6.3041 |