Federal and state laws require employers to establish procedures to address discriminatory practices in the workplace through Affirmative Action programs, policies, and procedures. Still, discrimination remains a national problem. Today’s most pervasive discrimination results from typical, although often unintentional practices throughout the educational and employment process.

To complement the spirit of the law, in 1985, the Camden City Public Schools, under the direction of the New Jersey Board of Education, established an Affirmative Action Office.

The Affirmative Action Office is responsible for the planning and implementation of district initiatives to create positive and result-oriented programs designed to remedy patterns and practices of discrimination in employment and educational services.

The purpose of the Affirmative Action Office is to provide staff and students with opportunities for equity and equality, and to provide a forum to address and resolve grievances.

The primary goal of Affirmative Action is to ensure that women and minorities are widely represented in all occupations and at all organizational levels. Planning and acting to end the absence of certain kinds of people-those who belong to groups that have been subordinated or left out-from certain jobs and schools.

The administrative code governing affirmative action programs in school districts is N.J.A.C. 6A:7 (Managing for Equality and Equity in Education). Under New Jersey law, accountability for enforcement of affirmative action policies and programs is implemented by the Department of Education to support equity and equality for staff and students.

N.J.A.C. 6A:7 (Managing for Equality and Equity in Education) defines the responsibilities of district boards of education for compliance with current law and public policy governing the elimination of discrimination and the provision of equal educational opportunity in the public schools, as well as address the achievement gap and the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) legislation.

The Affirmative Action Office for the Camden City Board of Education is located on the 7th floor in the Administration Building. The primary goal of the office is to oversee district compliance and equality in federal and state Affirmative Action mandates, and to ensure district compliance with employment practices, awarded contracts, curriculum, programs, and services offered by the Camden City Public School district.

Effective Affirmative Action programs help to generate a culture that supports all Americans having the opportunity to compete for education and jobs on an equal basis of merit without preference and without discrimination.

Affirmative Action program goals and objectives are aimed at eliminating the existing discriminatory obstacles to equal employment opportunity, as well as identifying other corrective measures. Because of the significance of the consequences of years of past systematic discrimination in school systems, the legal wrong ends only when all consequences of past discrimination have been eliminated.

Camden City Public Schools will continue its commitment to Affirmative Action and Equal Employment Opportunity and maintain an enduring obligation to hire and develop individuals who represent our diverse community, which is commensurate in the following governing laws:

• District Compliance of Title VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act, 1964
• Title IX of the Education Amendments, 1972
• Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, 1973
• The Americans with Disabilities Act, 1990
• Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (I.D.E.A.) of 1997
• Equal Pay Act of 1973
• Article I, Paragraph 5 of the N.J. State Constitution
• N.J.S.A. 18A:36-20, Equality in Educational Programs, Prohibition of Discrimination
• N.J.S.A.10:5 N.J. Law Against Discrimination
• N.J.A.C. 6A:7 Managing for Equality and Equity in Educational Programs
• N.J.S.A. 18A:35-1, History of the United States