Defining Safe and Inclusive Schools: Identity-Based Bullying, Harassment, and Discrimination

Course Introduction

The Defining Safe and Inclusive Schooling Environments: Bullying, Harassment, and Discrimination course focuses on defining and differentiating between student conflict, bullying, harassment, and discrimination. Additionally, participants will be guided through different civil rights legislation that protects students and families from harassment and discrimination based on race, sex, national origin, religion, and dis/ability. This knowledge base will assist educators and education stakeholders in recognizing their ethical responsibilities in addressing identity-based bullying while also surfacing the legal requirements of ensuring schools are free of harassment and discrimination. As an Equity Assistance Center (EAC), the MAP Center emphasizes an equity focus within each of our professional learning experiences and recognizes the critical role and responsibility educators and education stakeholders have in developing schooling environments that are both safe and inclusive for students, families/caregivers, community members, and staff. We strive to provide space and discourse which push individuals to analyze, challenge, and disrupt the ways in which power, privilege, and bias have been at play in the development and enactment of language, policies, and practices that have historically privileged some while keeping individuals with non-dominant identity markers on the margins.

Learning Outcomes

After completing the course modules, you will be able to:

• Define key terms such as bullying, harassment, discrimination, and civil rights legislation that protects students from identity-based harassment and discrimination. 
• Distinguish between student conflict, bullying, harassment, and discrimination.
• Explain the ethical and legal requirements educators and education stakeholders have in creating schooling environments that are safe and inclusive for students.