Bias Response Systems

Acalanes Union High School District in California has a “Bias Incident Reporting System” page that states its system is “for students to report incidents of harm – acts of racism, bias, sexism, microaggressions, etc.” District students are allowed to make reports anonymously. The reporting system is “part of AUHSD’s effort to promote safe environments where all students can learn.” Describing what the district bias incident reporting system is “not,” it states that it is “not the thought or speech police.” It continues: “We do not tell people how to think or talk.”

A district document titled “Equity Definitions” defines bias as “an inclination or preference either for or against an individual or group that interferes with impartial judgment.” The document also defines microaggressions as “The everyday verbal, nonverbal, and environmental slights, snubs or insults whether intentional or unintentional which communicate hostile, derogatory, or negative messages to target persons based on their membership in historically marginalized group membership.” Additionally, it includes “microassault,” “microinsult,” and “microinvalidation.”

According to the district reporting procedures, examples of “disciplinary incidence” include “using the N-word,” “hate speech” and “bullying.” Examples provided for restoration include “a student saying something insensitive” or “commits a micro-aggression.”

The Monroe County Community School Corporation (IN) “Anti-racism” board policy states that its purpose is to “confront, mitigate and eliminate racism, racist behaviors and microaggressions in all forms.” The policy proclaims that the district will “commit to disrupt and dismantle any and all practices and behaviors that do not center equity and that result in disparate educational outcomes between racial and other marginalized groups.” Included in the district policy is the establishment of an “incident reporting system to make it clear that any act of racial discrimination (which may include race-based bullying and harassment, and other behaviors or threats of harm) by administration, staff, or students will not be tolerated in MCCSC schools.”

Additionally, district policy objectives provide “opportunities that include diverse student perspectives, voice, and lived experiences in the development of corporation and school wide programs, practices and procedures.” The district offers students the opportunity to apply to be “Student Equity Ambassadors,” who participate in giving input and creating the district’s anti-racism policy.

Student responses to why they want to become a Student Equity Ambassador include wanting to “cause change in the school” because of enduring “microaggressions on the daily, mainly be primarily unaware teachers.” Another student “experienced first-hand moments of bias from teachers skipping my name to not pronounce it to being called a slur by a classmate.” Additionally, a student states that “as a female, I can bring the point of view of being a societal minority, however, I do want to be honest that as a middle-class Caucasian I am in a place of immense privilege.”

The Indiana school district provides students, staff, and the community with an online anonymous tip line to report “bullying, harassment, abuse, or safety concerns.”

In Kentucky, Jefferson County Public Schools contracts with Calls Plus to operate the district “Compliance Hotline.” Students have the ability to report incidents anonymously such as bullying, discrimination, and “racial intolerance.”

There is no definition provided for “racial intolerance;” however, it was revealed in the Cracked Foundations report that the district’s Affirming Racial Equity Tool defines “diverse” as “pertaining to any and all cultures that are NOT heterosexual, male-centered, white, Western, and/or Christian.”

In 2021, Webster Groves School District (MO) passed its equity policy which states that the district “rejects all forms of racism and bias as destructive to the district’s mission, vision, values and goals.” According to its “Moving Toward Equity” document, district faculty, staff, and community “participated in ​a ​four-day ​social justice ​workshop ​focused ​on ​developing ​and/or ​deepening ​their ​understanding ​of privilege ​and ​oppression.” Teachers also attended a “Witnessing Whiteness Program” and “anti-racism/anti-bias training” program.

The district’s “Bias Incident Reporting” system is in place to create awareness of “incidents that may hinder” the “growth” of a “culture of dignity.” The reporting system is to be used to “document and address” incidents and “provide resources and support to students who experienced the bias.” The page states:

We encourage you to report any incidents that negatively impact our campus culture, especially those that are biased-related. The report should reference bias incidents – example racism, bias, sexism, microaggressions, etc. You may report on an incident that was done to you or to someone else. While bias incidents sometimes target specific individuals, they can also violate and offend an entire group or community. Thus, you may also report bias incidents such as defaced fliers, graffiti that includes offensive language, etc.  

The “Student & Staff Bias Reporting System” form allows the individual to make an anonymous response of incidents that “negatively impact” district culture.

Mason City Schools’ (OH) bias reporting system calls upon students to report “acts of racism, sexism, ableism, classism, homophobia, religious intolerance, and other forms of harassment” through an anonymous “SafeSchools Tipline.” The district explains that “even when an act of bias is unintentional, the impact remains the same.”

In 2021, New Mexico passed House Bill 43 titled the “Black Education Act.” The bill required “racial sensitivity and anti-racism training or professional development for school personnel.” Also included in the bill is the requirement to establish a statewide “hotline for reporting racially charged incidents and racialized aggression.” Schools are also legally required to link to the hotline on its website.

The “Anti-Racism/Anti Oppression (ARAO) Hotline” is a “resource created by the Black Education Act (House Bill 43) that is available for students, families, staff, community members, and other stakeholders to report school-based incidents of racism.”

The state website does not address or clarify specifics on what constitutes reportable incidents.