Diocesan Grievance or Appeals

1. GENERAL
 
When a school employee or the parent/guardian of a student at a school believes that a rule, regulation or policy has been violated, misapplied or misrepresented, and that person has not had the problem satisfactorily resolved at the school, an appeal may be made to the local Advisory Council. For an appeal to be heard, a policy or rule must be shown a specific rule has not been followed. Simply disagreeing with the policy does not qualify for an appeal. An appeal should not be heard if it could be shown that the policy or rule was followed. If after review by the local board the complainant still believes the issue is not satisfactorily resolved, an appeal may be made to the Diocesan School Board.
 
2. LOCAL APPEAL
 
    To file a local appeal, the aggrieved person(s) should contact the school board
    chairperson.
            a.         The chairperson will obtain whatever details necessary and
                        discuss the matter with the Assistant Principal. If the school’s
                        Administration has not, in fact, been consulted or has not
                        completed action, the individual(s) concerned will be referred to
                        the school and the chairperson will take no further action at that
                        time.
            b.         If the school has indeed completed its action or if the complainant
                        is not satisfied when action is complete, the chairperson will
                        inform the aggrieved person(s) that an appeal may be submitted
                        to the board in writing within a five (5) working day period. The
                        written appeal should briefly provide details and specifically cite
                        the rule, regulation or policy that is involved in this situation.
                        c.         Upon receipt of the written appeal the chairperson will so advise
                                    the pastor/chancellor,
                                                (1) The Pastor/chancellor will consult with the executive
                                                committee of the board. If it is decided that the appeal
                                                does not merit a formal review, the complainant will be
                                                informed of that fact, and the case is closed at the local
                                                level. The aggrieved party may appeal that decision to the
                                                Diocesan School Board for review.
                                                (2) If the Pastor/chancellor believes, after consultation with
                                                the executive committee of the board, that the appeal
                                                should be referred to a local grievance committee, he will
                                                appoint or direct the chairperson to appoint such a
                                                committee. The committee may include board members,
                                                parents, faculty, or any others that can provide a fair and
                                                impartial hearing. The committee should consist of 5-7
                                                individuals, and the hearing should be conducted without
                                                undue delay.
                        d.         At the hearing,
(1) the committee will normally meet separately with
each party; however, a meeting with both parties
simultaneously may be held if the committee chooses
(2) no attorney may represent either party
(3) the committee must understand that its review is to focus only on whether or not a rule, regulation or
policy was violated
(4) the committee will confer privately after all concerned have been heard and relay its recommendations to the Pastor/Principal
(5) if, as a result of its review, the committee believes that changes to rules, regulations or policies might be appropriate, it may make suitable recommendations to the advisory council and to the Administration.
e.         The Pastor/Principal will communicate the appeal decision
directly to all concerned, or he may, as the chairperson of the board to do so. Notification should be in writing and should be made within five (5) working days after receipt of the report of the committee
f.          Either party may appeal the local decision to the Diocesan School
Board should a review at that level be desired. The appeal should be made in writing to the Superintendent of Catholic Schools within five working days after receipt of the result of the local appeal.
 
3.         DIOCESAN APPEAL
 
            a.         Upon receipt of a proper request for Diocesan review, the
                        Superintendent, after consultation with the president of the
                        Diocesan School Board, will decide whether or not to conduct a
                        formal hearing. The Superintendent will inform all concerned as
                        appropriate.

2. If a hearing is to be conducted, the Superintendent will consult

with the president of the Diocesan School Board then appoint an Ad Hoc Committee of the Diocesan School Board to hear the grievance.

3. The procedure to be followed by this committee is the same as on

the local level. When the hearing is complete, the Superintendent
will make the appropriate notification.

4. All decisions at the Diocesan level are final and the case is closed

at this point.