Equity Policy & Procedures

Florida Blue Key Speech and Debate Tournament is committed to providing participants, judges, coaches, and volunteers the opportunity to pursue excellence in their endeavors. This opportunity can exist only when each member of our community is assured an atmosphere of mutual respect. The FBK Speech and Debate Tournament prohibits all forms of harassment and discrimination. Accordingly, all forms of harassment and discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, marital status, citizenship, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by any applicable federal, state, or local law are prohibited, whether committed by participants, judges, coaches, volunteers, and/or observers. Our tournament reserves all rights to subject violators to the full range of sanctions, up to and including removal from the tournament premises and referral to appropriate authorities. Any individual or group of individuals who believes they have been a victim of harassment and/or discrimination should report it to an Equity Advocate or appropriate authority immediately.

In order to report a concern about equity, harassment or discrimination:

Florida Blue Key Equity Reporting Form

After this form is submitted, the Equity Committee will contact the individual who submitted the form and conduct an informal discussion concerning the grievance(s) in the form.  After the informal discussion, the Equity Committee shall investigate the allegations in the form. All grievances will be investigated as soon as possible and the individual who submitted the form will be contacted in a timely fashion after submission. At the conclusion of the investigation, the individual submitting the form will be informed of any applicable resolutions if appropriate. 

The Equity Committee will keep the information disclosed as confidential as possible. Ethically, the Equity Committee is required to take appropriate action and notify authorities if students engage in behavior that presents clear and imminent danger to themselves or others, in the case of known or suspected child abuse or neglect, or in the case of known or suspected sexual violence.