Orange County NC Website
5 <br /> civil behavior that should be encouraged. She said people may disagree, but need to do it in a <br /> way that is respectful and projects values of the county. She said this was her first assignment, <br /> and appreciated working with Commissioner Hamilton on this. She thanked the Board for their <br /> willingness to read the resolution together to present a united front. <br /> Starting with Commissioner Hamilton, the Board read the following resolution in turn: <br /> ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br /> RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF THE STUDENTS, STAFF, AND BOARD OF EDUCATION OF <br /> ORANGE COUNTY SCHOOLS WHOSE SCHOOL CLIMATE HAS BEEN ADVERSELY <br /> AFFECTED BY PROTESTORS <br /> WHEREAS, Orange County Schools is located in the northern and western part of the county <br /> and serves more than 7,400 students and approximately 800 teachers and administrative staff; <br /> and <br /> WHEREAS, respect for diversity and emotional and physical safety are central elements in the <br /> Safe and Supportive Learning Environments adopted by the US Department of Education in <br /> 2015; and <br /> WHEREAS, Orange County Schools Board of Education meetings and events in September <br /> and October were disrupted by protestors displaying hostile and intimidating behavior including <br /> racist and homophobic language; and <br /> WHEREAS, in the Resolution to Address Harm Caused to Students by Incidents of Hostile and <br /> Racist Behavior, passed by the Orange County Schools Board of Education on October 11, <br /> 2021, staff and students attested to the emotional and psychological harm done by the <br /> protestors; and <br /> WHEREAS, as stated in Section12-3 of the Orange County Civil Rights Ordinance, the policy of <br /> Orange County is to promote the equal treatment of all individuals; to prohibit discrimination in <br /> Orange County based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, familial status, <br /> and veteran status; to protect residents' lawful interests and their personal dignity so as to make <br /> available to the County their full productive and creative capacities, and to prevent public and <br /> domestic strife, crime, and unrest within Orange County; and <br /> WHEREAS, the Orange County Human Relations Commission was established by the Orange <br /> County Board of Commissioners to make recommendations designed to promote goodwill and <br /> harmony among all groups in the County; <br /> NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Orange County Board of County <br /> Commissioners (BOCC) shall work with Orange County Schools, the Orange County Sheriff's <br /> Office, and the broader community to promote peaceful and civil discourse and behavior, and <br /> support our students and school staff; and <br /> BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Orange County BOCC calls upon the Orange County <br /> Department of Human Rights and Relations and the Human Relations Commission to continue <br /> to study and recommend to the Orange County BOCC, within the next six months, measures <br /> that will promote civility among all groups in the County; and <br />