A. The complainant believes that the school did not correctly analyze the complaint and failed to conduct an investigation of the incident in question believing that the alleged conduct may not rise to the level of unlawful harassment (see 16 V.S.A. §14(a)); or,

B. the complainant was dissatisfied with the final determination of the school officials as to whether harassment occurred; or,

C. although final determination was made that harassment occurred, the complainant believes that the school’s response was inadequate to correct the problem.

In addition, a school may request an independent review for itself.

If a complainant wishes to request an independent review, he/she must do so by submitting a written request to the superintendent of schools.  The superintendent will then choose a neutral independent reviewer from a list of 9 persons (see list below) designated by the Vermont Department of Education and Vermont Human Rights Commission to conduct independent reviews.  The school district/supervisory union will bear the cost of the independent review.

• October 25, 2004 Vermont Department of Education memo about independent reviews  (46 KB) 

• List of independent reviewers (20 KB)  UPDATED 10/12

• In 2007, the Vermont Human Rights Commission and Vermont Department of Education created a template for independent reviewers to use as guidance when conducting an independent review.  This template presents the range of issues that, depending on the nature of the case in question, an independent reviewer may examine during the course of an independent review.  (36 KB)    (Last updated October 10, 2008)

• Independent review brochure (125 KB)  (Vermont Department of Education brochure with explanation of the independent review process) UPDATED