HCPSS MPIA Request #2020-419

Requestor
Jonathon DiPietro
Requested Information
I am requesting a record of all reported Hate Bias Incidents (HBIs) to take place on HCPSS property, committed by students, or staff from January 1, 2010 - present.

I am also requesting all complaints made against HCPSS Staff in regard to "racism", "hate bias", "discrimination" or any other similar complaints.

Finally, I am requesting the documented outcomes/ resolutions to come from HBIs to take place on HCPSS property by staff or students.
Date Received
Status
Complete
Response Notes

Under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA), which restricts access to student records, and MPIA GP § 4-313, which prevents disclosure of school district records pertaining to individual students, additional review would be needed in order to release details from each briefing listed within the record below. Lastly, per your interest to also receive information on the outcome/resolution of each incident of reported hate bias, dispositions of individual cases and resulting actions would require access to and review of private student files. Additionally, that information combined with date, location and other publically available information from the briefing forms themselves may reveal confidential student discipline records to those with a reasonable knowledge of the incident. Under both FERPA and MPIA GP § 4-313, we are denying your request to determine actions taken and/or investigative outcomes in each case.

Responsive Documents
Responsive to this request, and per discussions with our Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion to date regarding the type of data available specific to hate bias incidents, please find attached a report of incidents identified as hate bias/discrimination since the start of this past school year.

*Some request language is summarized to include the requester's specific document requests and legally protected information (such as personally identifiable information of a student) or personal, defamatory and malicious content removed at the discretion of the school system.

**Responses containing legally protected information available only to the person of interest are omitted from the above report.

***Howard County Public Schools reserves the right to remove erroneous or outdated documents from this site.