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Stand Together Group |
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Stand Together Group |
Suggested Policy on Hate Crimes
Status: this is being compared to current policy so redundancies can be smoothed over and it can be sent to the District Board of Trustees early in the 2002-2003 school year.
General Statement on Hate Crimes
The policy of Gavilan College is to ensure that the rights to equality, justice, and freedom guaranteed by State laws and the United States Constitution are protected for all students and staff, regardless of their race, class, age, ethnicity, religion, ancestry, national origin, disability, gender, or sexual orientation. When those rights are infringed upon by violence, threats, of other form of harassment, Gavilan College will use every necessary resource to prevent such crimes, and to rapidly and decisively cooperate with law enforcement personnel to identify and prosecute the perpetrators.
Because such acts are particularly insidious given that victims cannot change who they are in order to escape victimization, all acts of hate and prejudice that involve violence or threats, regardless of motivation, will be viewed as serious and will be given priority attention.
Confidentiality
According to Art. 1 Sec. 1 of the Constitution of the State of California, it shall be the policy of Gavilan College to protect the identity and nature of victimization of the victim of a hate crime. In some cases the purpose of hate crime is to expose the victim to potential ridicule and embarrassment. At the same time, the college will not hesitate to promptly and publicly condemn any hate crime in general terms, nor to inform its staff of time, place, and general characteristics of any hate crime. The college will support any individual victim who voluntarily publicizes details of a hate crime as a means to prevent future incidents.
Education
Gavilan College will promote campus harmony, appreciation for the value of human diversity, and respect for individual rights and dignity. The District places a high priority upon the prevention and eradication of crimes involving hate, bigotry, and prejudice.
Cooperation with Law Enforcement
The victimization of individuals or groups because of their status is not only an affront to those victimized, it is also a violation of State and Federal Laws. The policy of Gavilan College will be to immediately or as soon as is practicable report all incidents of hate crime to the appropriate local law enforcement agency. In addition to penalties assessed by criminal courts, it shall the be the policy of Gavilan College to hold those perpetrators responsible, with appropriate college sanctions, including possible termination and/or expulsion.
Last modified: September 15, 2003
by Jen Ferro
jferro@gavilan.edu