The agreement is the second attempt to address “continuing concerns” about harassment and discrimination complaints and will continue for at least three years. The district had failed to come into compliance with a Jan. 25, 2010, agreement, which was replaced by the new settlement, the Justice Department said.

The complaints involved harassment and discrimination based on race and national origin, a violation of Title IV of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. It prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, national 
origin, sex and religion in public schools.

The agreement did not detail the complaints against the district or say when they were made or how many there were. It also did not say where the district had failed to comply with the 2010 agreement.

The agreement requires D-49 to take steps to eliminate and prevent racial harassment and discrimination in schools by:

– Revising its policies and procedures on racial harassment and discrimination;

– Maintaining adequate records of all incidents;

– Analyzing incidents to ensure they are properly identified, investigated and 
resolved;

– Training staff and students to prevent and address harassment and discrimination;

– Including restorative justice techniques and positive behavior interventions in the district’s disciplinary responses to incidents of harassment and discrimination; and

– Hiring a consultant to identify any additional measures the district should take to effectively address, prevent and respond to racial harassment and discrimination.

Peter Hilts, D-49’s chief education officer, told board members in July that he wanted to shape the district into “a constellation of welcoming schools, programs and events that invite the best contributions from diverse communities.”

“My leadership has focused on promoting a strong culture in the diverse communities that make up District 49,” he said in a statement. “Because of some past missteps, the majority of my efforts this year have been to reset our leadership culture.”

Hilts and other officials were not available Friday for comment; the district is on its two-week fall break.

Hilts said he’ll hold principals accountable for their school’s culture while bringing the district closer to meeting the expectations of its community, as well as add program leadership to build a “positive and high-performing culture that honors the Department of Justice agreement.”

D-49 established complaint procedures for students, parents and employees and on July 1 hired a compliance officer, Louis Fletcher. As the “coordinator for cultural capacity,” he will be a liaison between the district and the Justice Department.

“Our agreement with the Department of Justice is an opportunity for District 49 to examine its current culture with an eye to the future,” Fletcher said in a statement released Friday.

During a July 10 board meeting, Fletcher and communications director Matt Meister gave a presentation on understanding nondiscrimination and equal opportunity compliance, focusing on respect, being positive, accountability, teamwork and caring attitudes.

“There is no doubt that there were incidents in the past that brought the district into an ongoing relationship with the Department of Justice,” Fletcher said in the statement.

“History placed the district at the crossroads of a checkered past and a promising future.”

Fletcher continued: “The blueprint is in place, and we must now collectively expand the cultural capacity of the district to create an environment that affords every individual the respect, dignity and civility they deserve as human beings.

“There will be bumps in the road. We will face them as a proactive team that engages with our community and fosters transparency in every endeavor.”

He is working with the district’s enrollment management office to ensure that the district is “accommodating and inclusive.”

Fletcher also is developing training materials for district employees and students related to diversity and inclusion and will track incidents and other compliance measures.

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Contact Debbie Kelley: 476-1656

Twitter @inkywoman

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