How does OCR help eliminate racial harassment against students?
OCR enforces Title VI, which prohibits discrimination based on a student’s race, color and national origin in schools and colleges receiving federal funds. OCR investigates and resolves complaints alleging that educational institutions that are recipients of federal funds have failed to protect students from harassment based on race, color or national origin. Complaints are often resolved by agreements requiring schools to adopt effective anti-harassment policies and procedures, train staff and students, address the incidents in question, and to take other steps to restore a nondiscriminatory environment. In addition to resolving complaints by students and their parents, OCR takes steps to inform schools of their obligation to provide a nondiscriminatory environment. On March 10,1994, OCR published policy guidance (59 Federal Register 11448) which explained the legal principles requiring educational institutions that receive federal funds to take steps reasonably calculated to stop har
