Racism is not tolerated at Rochester Secondary College

Rochester Secondary College is committed to fostering a welcoming, inclusive environment where racism is not tolerated. Racism harms students’ mental health, learning and sense of belonging. We celebrate the diversity of cultures, ethnicities and faiths of all our students. It is up to all of us at Rochester Secondary College to make our school a place that is free of racism and where everyone feels respected and can learn in a safe and inclusive environment.

What Rochester Secondary College is doing to prevent racism

Rochester Secondary College follows the Department of Education’s Preventing and Addressing Racism in Schools Policy. We are building a culturally safe school with inclusive learning for everyone by working with staff, students, families, carers and communities. We will:

provide programs that teach about and celebrate diversity, inclusion and the impact of racism to build understanding and empathy
use practices that support all students to thrive
implement anti-racism efforts to prevent and address racism effectively
make sure everyone feels safe, with clear and accessible pathways to report racism

What to do if your child experiences or witnesses racism at school

If your child experiences or witnesses racism or religious discrimination at school, please let us know. You can tell your child’s Year level Coordinator or Assistant Principal Mitch Bright.

Report Racism hotline

If you don’t feel comfortable reporting racism to school, or you are not happy with the school’s response, you can report racism to:

For additional support following an incident of racism:

First Nations students, staff or families can contact Victorian Aboriginal Education Association Inc. (VAEAI)
Jewish students, staff or families can contact the Jewish Community Council of Victoria
Muslim students, staff or families can contact the Islamic Council of Victoria

For more information about how to report racism to the school, and to get information in community languages, visit this website: Report racism or religious discrimination in schools.

If you need an interpreter to call the school, please use the details available at: Guide for Families: How to use an interpreter to contact your school.

How Rochester Secondary College will respond to racism

When you report a racist incident, Rochester Secondary College will:

take your report seriously and act quickly
give you ongoing support
investigate and respond safely and appropriately
keep you informed, while respecting privacy
review the incident to help avoid it from happening again.

A copy of the Departments Preventing and Addressing Racism in Schools Policy can be also found on our school website or available in hard copy from the school office.

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