How To: Create or Update Your School’s Anti-Discrimination Policy

Do you ever feel like a classmate or teacher singles out a specific race or gender by treating them differently? If you think your school’s anti-discrimination policy just isn’t cutting it, here are some tips on how to make it better.

1. Before you can do anything, you need to figure out what type of discrimination you’re facing. Do you see people being picked on because of their race, gender, sexual orientation, or religion? Once you find the issue, you can solve it.
2. Don’t do this on your own. Your friends and classmates can have great ideas on which policies should be changed and how. You can spread the word by inviting all your friends to a Facebook group or by starting an anti-discrimination club.
3. Ask your teacher for a copy of your school’s original anti-discrimination policy. Read the policy and decide if it needs to be reinforced or updated completely.
4. Write a clear and detailed letter to your principal. Tell him or her exactly what you want to change. Ask them to schedule a meeting to discuss it with you.
5. Be prepared for your meeting with your principle. Make sure to research statistics about discrimination in schools so you are well informed about this issue. If your principal cannot or does not want to do anything about it, send the letter to your school board. Never give up!

Want to know what it was like to be an activist during the 1960s? Text MLK to 38383. GO