10/02/03 reviewed 24/12/2005

The School for FM Alexander Studies is committed to promoting full and equal participation of all students and staff in the activities of the school. The school is committed to fostering an environment free from discrimination and harassment. Discrimination includes treating any staff member or student less favourably than others on the basis of irrelevant factors as described in the relevant commonwealth and state legislation. Harassment is the when a person receives unwanted, offensive, humiliating or intimidating behaviour prohibited by the Commonwealth and State legislation outlined and interpreted below.

The director of the school is responsible for the Access and Equity policy. The director shall ensure that that appropriate information is disseminated regarding course information, selection procedures, enrolment and induction. The director will ensure that the Access and Equity policy is reviewed as part of the schools commitment to Continuous Quality Improvement.

Our aim is to promote principles inherent in International, national and state legislation related to human rights, anti-discrimination and equal opportunity. The relevant Acts include:

Equal Opportunity Act (1995) Vic

Sex Discrimination Act (1984) Cth

Sex Discrimination Bill 91995) Cth

Disability Discrimination Amendment Bill (1995) Cth

Workplace Relations Act (1996) Cth

Affirmative Action (Equal Employment Opportunity for Women Act) (1986) Cth

Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Amendment Bill (1999) Cth

Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission Act (1986) Cth

Racial Discrimination Act (1975) Cth

Racial Vilification Act (2001) Vic

Racial and Religious Tolerance Act (2002) Vic

The school works to promote adherence to the above Acts of Parliament and endeavours to identify and eradicate areas that may limit fulfilment of the requirements of the above through a process of continuous review.

Policy Areas

Equal Opportunity

Harassment and discrimination

Sexual
Racial
Disability
Children at the school

Equal Opportunity in an educational Institution

All students have equal access to opportunity on the basis of merit. It is the school’s responsibility to identify and eliminate barriers to equality in education. In particular attention is given to the promotion of fairness and respect for women who are students or staff members at the school.

Harassment and discrimination

Harassment and discrimination is unacceptable on the basis of:

Age

Breastfeeding

Impairment

Industrial activity

Lawful sexual activity

Sexual orientation

Marital status

Physical features

Political belief or activity

Sex

Gender identity

Parental status/carer status

Personal association with anyone who is identified with any of the following characteristics

Discrimination includes both directly treating someone in a less favourable manner on the grounds of the above. Discrimination can also be indirect in that a policy or procedure may disadvantage a particular person on the ground of the above.

Particular attention is given to issues associated with sexual harassment, racial harassment, childcare and disability.

Sexual harassment:

Sexual harassment is defined as any unwanted conduct of a sexual nature that a reasonable person would find offensive, humiliating or intimidating. The school stipulates that in accordance with the Equal Opportunity Act (1995) Vic the following behaviours are unacceptable:

Verbal comment

Whistling, leering, staring

Crude, smutty jokes

Teasing related to sexual activity

Persistent unwanted social invitation

Unsolicited letters, notes, emails

Obscene telephone calls

Offensive gestures

Patting, pinching and unwanted touching

Display of provocative visual material including pornography

Racial Discrimination and Harassment:

Racial discrimination is when someone is treated less favourably than someone else in a similar situation because of race, colour, national or ethnic origin and descent. Indirect racial discrimination is when a particular policy or rule disadvantages people of a particular ethnic origin, race, colour, national or ethnic origin. This is against the law and the international convention on elimination of all forms of racial discrimination and promotion of the principle of equality before the law.

The racial hatred act was added in 1995 and includes prohibition of the following behaviours:

Racist graffiti

Public display of Nazi insignia

Public display of posters or stickers promoting racial hatred

Racist comments or publications

This may not be unlawful in presentation of artistic work, academic publications, fair and accurate media reports, fair and just comment.

The school will take reasonable steps to prevent racial harassment and discrimination from occurring.

Disability:

Taking into account the inherent requirements of the course for student or teaching positions the school will make all reasonable efforts to assess each student on the basis of their personal situation and merits. All reasonable effort will be made to accommodate their individual needs within the bounds of justifiable cost to the school.

Childcare:

Students and staff should have equality of access to opportunity in the school regardless of their status as a carer of dependent children. The school is committed to recognising the need for children to occasionally attend classes. Requests for children to attend classes should be treated sympathetically. Women may need to breastfeed in class.