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39. IHSA TOURNAMENT HATE SPEECH AND HARASSMENT POLICY & PROCEDURES
This Policy and Procedure for addressing Hate Speech and Harassment will be in effect at all regular and post season contests. It was created to accomplish the following goals:
1. Make a clear statement that the IHSA and member schools do not tolerate hate speech.
2. Demonstrate that addressing hate speech or harassment is more important than the contest itself. 3. Address the situation early so that it does not escalate into a worsening incident.
4. Demonstrate to the target and team that their concern is being heard and addressed.
5. Institute more severe consequences for an athlete who persists in using hate speech.
6. Allow time for emotions to cool down.
Hate Speech and Harassment Definition
Hate Speech or Harassment is behavior aimed at a person’s sex, gender identification, race, religion, creed, age, national origin, ancestry, pregnancy, marital or parental status, sexual orientation, or disability that substantially interferes with a student’s school performance or creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive school environment.
Hate Speech or Harassment may be verbal, non-verbal, or physical acts during all competitions. This policy and procedure is designed to provide a consistent, rational framework for managing and dealing with situations at contests when a participant or coach believes an opposing school’s participant or coach have used hate speech towards a member of their team or between teammate to teammate interaction. “Target” refers to the individual who heard the hate speech. “Alleged offender” refers to the individual(s) who allegedly used the hate speech. “Comment” refers to the hate speech or harassment that was used.
Policy and Procedure Administration
1. When contest officials witness hate speech or an act of harassment, the alleged offender shall be penalized by an IMMEDIATE EJECTION.
2. When a target is subjected to harassment and contest officials DO NOT witness the act, the target shall IMMEDIATELY inform his/her head coach of the following at the next stoppage in action after the comment was heard:
a. The specific comment made
b. When and where the comment was made
c. Identification of the alleged offender (number, position, etc.)
i. NOTE: If the target is unable to identify who made the comment, the target should still communicate what he/she
heard to their coach, and their coach should notify the official and opposing coach immediately.
3. The head coach will immediately inform the official of the information above. The official will stop play and meet with the head coaches of both teams and host school administration, (if present) and review the comment. The teams will go to their respective benches. The coach of the alleged offender, the official and host manager will meet with the alleged offender to ask the offender
about the comment made.
4. If the alleged offender admits to saying the comment, he/she will be ejected from the contest, suspended for the next contest,
and will be subject to the individual’s school discipline policies and procedures for the use of hate speech. An IHSA player
ejection Special Report must be submitted by the official via the Hate Speech or Harassment Special Report option.
5. If the alleged offender does not admit to saying the comment, the alleged offender will be informed by his/her coach that if the official hears any additional use of hate speech from the alleged offender later in the contest, the offender will be ejected, suspended for the next contest, and will be subject to the individual’s school discipline policies and procedures for the use of
hate speech.
a. The official will provide written documentation of what they heard to be included in the IHSA Hate Speech and
Harassment Special Report.
6. The target will then be told by his/her head coach of the outcome. If the alleged offender does not admit to saying the comment,
the coach will tell the target to continue informing him/her directly if hate speech is used again.
a. Subsequent reports during the contest involving the same alleged offender will be shared with the official who will inform the other head coach during a natural break in play, and file a Special Report in the IHSA Officials Center. Play will not
be stopped unless the official hears the comment.
7. If the target does not inform his/her coach about the comment until after the team has left the contest site, the coach shall inform
his/her Athletic Director and that AD shall inform the opposing AD. Both ADs shall meet with their respective participants (alleged offender and target) and then communicate back to the other AD of their findings. If the alleged offender admits to saying the comment, he/she will be suspended for the next contest and will be subject to the individual’s school discipline policies and procedures for the use of hate speech.
8. The head coaches of both teams will inform their Athletic Directors of ALL situations in which hate speech or harassment was suspected within 24 hours of the contest. The AD will meet directly with any participant identified as possibly using hate speech, conveying the alleged use of hate speech or harassment.
9. The Athletic Director of each school will inform the IHSA Administrator using the Hate Speech or Harassment Special Report option and include all documentation and findings. Each school involved will have access to review both the official’s and ADs’ special reports.
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