[HISTORY: Adopted by the Township Committee of the Township
of Maplewood 5-21-2024 by Ord. No. 3120-24. Amendments noted where applicable.]
The following Code of Conduct is established for all youth activities/events
sponsored by the Township of Maplewood.
Sports and recreation play an important role in the lives of
many of Maplewood's youth residents, and interscholastic and
sports programs play an essential role in promoting children's
physical, social, and emotional development. Therefore, youth athletes,
residents, coaches, and officials must engage in proper conduct and
encourage youth athletes to embrace the values of appropriate conduct.
Moreover, adults involved in youth sports events should be models
of adequate conduct and should lead by example by demonstrating fairness,
respect, and self-control.
The following conduct is prohibited at any municipal-sponsored
youth activity and/or event.
A.
Encouraging one's child, or any other person, to engage in inappropriate
conduct, as further described below, with any participant, coach,
employee, parent, player, official, or any other attendee or spectator.
B.
Engaging in any behavior that would endanger the health, safety,
or well-being of any participant, coach, employee, parent, player,
official, or any other attendee or spectator.
C.
Encouraging one's child, or any other person, to engage in any
behavior that would endanger the health, safety, or well-being of
any participant, coach, employee, parent, player, official, or any
other attendee.
D.
Engaging in verbal, written, or physical threats, gestures, harassment,
intimidation, bullying, or abuse, including any conduct (in person
or online) as defined in N.J.S.A. 18:37-13.1 et seq., the Anti-Bullying
Bill of Rights Act of NJ, toward any participant, coach, employee,
parent, player, official, or any other attendee or spectator.
E.
Encouraging one's child, or any other person, to engage in verbal,
written, or physical threats, gestures, harassment, intimidation,
bullying or abuse, including any conduct (in person or online) as
defined in N.J.S.A. 18:37-13.1 et seq., the Anti-Bullying Bill of
Rights Act of NJ, toward any participant, coach, employee, parent,
player, official, or any other attendee or spectator.
F.
Engaging in the use of profanity.
G.
Encouraging one's child or any other person to use profanity.
H.
Treating participants, coaches, employees, parents, players, officials,
or any other attendees disrespectfully based on race, ancestry, national
origin, color, creed, religion, sex, affectional or sexual orientation
or gender expression, gender identity, veteran status, ability or
socioeconomic status.
I.
Encouraging one's child or any other person to treat participants,
coaches, employees, parents, players, officials, or any other attendee
disrespectfully based on race, ancestry, national origin, color, creed,
religion, sex, affectional or sexual orientation or gender expression,
gender identity, veteran status, ability or socioeconomic status.
J.
Initiating a fight, scuffle, or aggressive verbal argument with any
participant, coach, employee, parent, player, official, or any other
attendee or spectator.
K.
Encouraging one's child or any other person to initiate a fight,
scuffle, or aggressive verbal argument with any participant, coach,
employee, parent, player, official, or any other attendee or spectator.
All participants are encouraged to report any violation of this
policy. All reports will be documented and retained by the Township's
administration.
A.
For any violation of this policy, the grievant must present the complaint
to the Township by way of the Township's representative who is
responsible for operating the activity/event or in writing to the
Township's Affirmative Action Officer in the Office of Administration.
B.
Upon review, the Township's Affirmative Action Officer has five
business days to respond to the grievant, acknowledging the complaint.
If an investigation is required, the investigation must be concluded
within 10 business days of notice, where possible. If the investigation
extends beyond the time period, the Township's Affirmative Action
Officer must provide an update to the grievant in writing.
C.
If the grievant is unsatisfied with the outcome of the investigation,
they may appeal to the Township Administrator (not the Township's
Affirmative Action Officer) within 10 business days. The Township
Administrator must respond to the grievant within 10 business days.
Violations of this chapter may result in disciplinary action,
including but not limited to the following in any order or combination:
