Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) has introduced new hate-bias response procedures that, among other things, set strict parameters around when police are contacted, according to documents from the district.
The details of the new system were first reported by The Washington Post on Saturday. The three tiers – yellow, orange and red – are based on intent, impact on school community and criminal elements. Police are contacted only for level orange or red incidents—serious and intentionally discriminatory – according to the documents.
Previously, schools informed police for all reported hate-bias incidents or allegations, according to district documents.
According to The Washington Post, the county has seen an increase of hate-bias incident reports in recent years. From 2022 to 2023, these incidents increased by 200%, in part due to MCPS reporting all hate/bias incidents regardless of whether a criminal offense was committed, according to the Montgomery County police department’s 2023 annual report on bias incidents. Of all the bias events reported in 2023, 61% were school related.
Throughout 2023 and 2024, the school system has seen a number of hate-bias incidents, including students performing an antisemitic salute, and antisemitic and anti-LGBTQ vandalism at schools.
MCPS defines hate-bias incidents as disruptive conduct that includes intentional discriminatory behavior based on personal characteristics such as race, identity, gender and sexual orientation.
According to the new response procedure documents, yellow-level incidents include those in which offenders lack “context, awareness, knowledge or intent.” Such incidents include a drawing made in school, name-calling by younger students and unintentional acts, for example.
Yellow-level occurrences also aren’t considered serious incidents, which are defined as those that involve some harm, risk or threat of harm to staff or students; seriously disrupt school operations; or concern staff or students and could escalate to a community concern or police/legal matter, according to school board documents. Yellow incidents are handled by administering the Student Code of Conduct and aren’t considered a hate-bias incident.
Those categorized as red and orange are considered serious incidents and involve informing the police, according to documents. An orange-level incident is defined as having a potential impact on school communities as well as including unlikely criminal elements. Such an incident involves schools sending a letter to notify their communities about what happened. Examples include a student fight, a verbal altercation and a symbol carved in furniture.
Incidents designated as red have significant impacts on the school community and likely include criminal elements. A letter is sent to the school community and parents of students involved in the case. Examples include vandalism, physical assault and schoolwide disruptions.
