The Dignity for All Students Act

New York State’s Dignity for All Students Act (The Dignity Act) seeks to provide the State’s public elementary and secondary school students with a safe and supportive environment free from discrimination, intimidation, taunting, harassment, and bullying on school property, a school bus and/or at a school function.

The Dignity Act was signed into law on September 13, 2010 and takes effect on July 1, 2012. 

This legislation amended State Education Law by creating a new Article 2 – Dignity for All Students.  The Dignity Act also amended Section 801-a of New York State Education Law regarding instruction in civility, citizenship, and character education by expanding the concepts of tolerance, respect for others and dignity to include: an awareness and sensitivity in the relations of people, including but not limited to, different races, weights, national origins, ethnic groups, religions, religious practices, mental or physical abilities, sexual orientations, gender identity or expression, and sexes. The Dignity Act further amended Section 2801 of the Education Law by requiring Boards of Education to include language addressing The Dignity Act in their codes of conduct.

Additionally, under the Dignity Act, schools will be responsible for collecting and reporting data regarding material incidents of discrimination and harassment by using the annual summary of violent and disruptive incidents form.

WEBINAR NOW AVAILABLE!

Click on the image below to watch the webinar.

Download the Dignity Act Overview PowerPoint Presentation (8MB) with speaker notes.

(Right click and "Save Target As" to download the file.)

• The Dignity Act Informational Brochure  (1MB)
• The Dignity Act Fact Sheet  (hosted by the NYS Center for School Safety)
• Slide Show  (1MB) outlining The Dignity Act