Adopted: 1999			MSBA/MASA Model Policy 528
Orig. 1999
Revised: 5-10-2010		Rev. 2003

528	STUDENT PARENTAL, FAMILY, AND MARITAL STATUS NONDISCRIMINATION

I.	PURPOSE

Students are protected from discrimination on the basis of sex and marital status pursuant to Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 and the Minnesota Human Rights Act.  This includes discrimination on the basis of pregnancy.  The purpose of this school district policy is to provide equal educational opportunity for all students and to prohibit discrimination on the grounds of sex, parental, family, or marital status.

II.	GENERAL STATEMENT OF POLICY

A.	The school district provides equal educational opportunity for all students, and will not apply any rule concerning a student’s actual or potential parental, family, or marital status which treats students differently on the basis of sex.

B.	The school district will not discriminate against any student, or exclude any student from its education program or activity, including any class or extracurricular activity, on the basis of such students’ pregnancy, childbirth, false pregnancy, termination of pregnancy or recovery therefrom, unless the student requests voluntarily to participate in a separate portion of the program or activity of the recipient.

C.	The school district may require such a student to obtain the certification of a physician that the student is physically and emotionally able to continue participation in the normal education program or activity so long as such a certification is required of all students for other physical or emotional conditions requiring the attention of a physician.

D.	The school district will ensure that any separate and voluntary instructional program is comparable to that offered to non-pregnant students.

E.	It is the responsibility of every school district employee to comply with this policy.

F.	The school board has designated:
	 Bryan Thygeson, Superintendent, 
	WAO Schools, 224 E Bridge Ave, Warren, MN  56762 
	as its Title IX coordinator.  This employee coordinates the school district’s efforts to comply with and carry out its responsibilities under Title IX.

G.	Any student, parent or guardian having questions regarding the application of Title IX and its regulations and/or this policy should discuss them with the Title IX coordinator.  Questions relating solely to Title IX and its regulations may be referred to the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights of the United States Department of Education. In the absence of a specific designee, an inquiry or complaint should be referred to the superintendent or the school district human rights officer.

H.	Any reports of unlawful discrimination under this policy will be handled, investigated and acted upon in the manner specified in Policy 522 – Student Sex Nondiscrimination.

Legal References:	Minn. Stat. Ch. 363A (Minnesota Human Rights Act)
20 U.S.C. §§ 1681-1688 (Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972)
34 C.F.R. Part 106 (Implementing Regulations of Title IX)

Cross References:	MSBA/MASA Model Policy 102 (Equal Educational Opportunity)
MSBA/MASA Model Policy 413 (Harassment and Violence)
MSBA/MASA Model Policy 522 (Student Sex Nondiscrimination)