Civil Rights Complaint Procedures

Newington Foods & Nutrition Services

CIVIL RIGHTS COMPLAINT PROCEDURES

for Child Nutrition Programs

Click here to download/print this information. 

Newington Public Schools is a sponsor of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition Services’ (FNS) Child Nutrition Programs, including the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) at all seven schools and the School Breakfast Program (SBP) at Newington High School and Martin Kellogg Middle School.  The Newington Public Schools provides benefits to all eligible individuals without discrimination in accordance with Federal civil rights laws and USDA policy, as governed by FNS Instruction 113-1. The USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, age, sex, and disability.


Program participants who feel they have been discriminated against while participating in the Child Nutrition Programs, including during the serving of meals, will be instructed to contact Mr. Stephen Foresi, Assistant Superintendent of Schools, at (860) 665-8631 for procedures to voice their complaint. All complaints alleging discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, sex, or disability, either written or verbal, must be processed within the established time frames.


Right to File

Any person or representative alleging discrimination based on a prohibited basis has the right to file a complaint within 180 days of the alleged discriminatory action. Only the Secretary of Agriculture may extend this time under special circumstances. The complainant must be advised of confidentiality and Privacy Act applications.  The Assistant Superintendent of Schools will not attempt to resolve the complaint themselves, without first providing the complainant with information on how they can file a complaint.


Forms

The Assistant Superintendent of Schools will provide, all persons wishing to file a complaint, instructions on where to obtain the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form online or where they can obtain a hard copy. However, use of this form will not be a prerequisite for acceptance of the complaint.

Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or have speech disabilities may contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339; or (800) 845-6136 (Spanish) for assistance in filing a complaint.


Filing a Complaint

The Assistant Superintendent of Schools will provide instructions to the complainant on where to forward the completed USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form by:

     ● mail: 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410;

     ● fax: (202) 690-7442; or

     ● e-mail: [email protected].


Verbal Complaints

In the event a complainant wishes to make the allegations verbally or in person and refuses or is not inclined to place such allegations in writing, the Assistant Superintendent of Schools will write up the elements of the complaint for the complainant utilizing the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form.


Acceptance of Written or Verbal

All complaints received by the Assistant Superintendent of Schools written or verbal, will be forwarded to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (OCR).  Anonymous complaints will be handled as any other complaints, to the extent feasible, based on available information. Complaints will be forwarded to OCR via:

     ● mail: 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410;

     ● fax: (202) 690-7442; or

     ● e-mail: [email protected].


State Agency Notification

If the Assistant Superintendent of Schools is notified that a program participant has filed a Civil Rights complaint or they have filed a complaint on behalf of a program participant, they will notify their county consultant at the Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE). The Assistant Superintendent of Schools will provide information as requested by the CSDE during the OCR investigation of the complaint.

For more information, see the Connecticut State Department of Education’s (CSDE) Civil Rights for Child Nutrition Programs webpage or contact the Child Nutrition Programs staff in the CSDE Bureau of Health/Nutrition, Family Services and Adult Education, 450 Columbus Boulevard, Suite 504, Hartford, CT 06103.

This nondiscrimination statement can be found on the CT Department of Education website. 

 

In accordance with federal civil rights laws and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age,  or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.


Program information may be made available in languages other than English.  Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g. Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language.), should contact the responsible state or local agency that administers the program or USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.

To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD-3207, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be  found online at: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/USDA-OASCR P-Complaint-Form-0508-0002-508-11-28-17Fax2Mail.pdf, at any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA.  The letter must contain the complainant's name, address, telephone number, a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation.  The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to USDA by:

 

(1)   mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture
                 Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
  1400 Independence Avenue, SW
   Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; or

(2)   fax: (833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7742: or

(3)   email: [email protected]

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

The Connecticut State Department of Education is committed to a policy of equal opportunity/affirmative action for all qualified persons.  The Connecticut State Department of Education does not discriminate in any employment practice, education program, or educational activity on the basis of race, color, religious creed, sex, age, national origin, ancestry, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability (including, but not limited to, intellectual disability, past or present history of mental disorder, physical disability or learning disability), genetic information, or any other basis prohibited by Connecticut state and/or federal nondiscrimination laws. The Connecticut State Department of Education does not unlawfully discriminate in employment and licensing against qualified persons with a prior criminal conviction.  Inquiries regarding the Connecticut State Department of Education’s nondiscrimination policies should be directed to: Levy Gillespie, Equal Employment Opportunity Director/Americans with Disabilities Act Coordinator, Connecticut State Department of Education, 450 Columbus Boulevard, Suite 607, Hartford, CT 06103, 860-807-2071, [email protected].