Diversity Statement

 

“Atlas Training is committed to providing a culturally inclusive and supportive learning and working environment for all stakeholders. Atlas training believes that students and employees should be enrolled, hired, employed, and promoted based solely on their competence and qualifications to perform their designated duties, and not on the basis of their gender, race, color, national origin, religious beliefs, age, marital status/family structure (including same sex unions or domestic partnerships), disability, sexual orientation, or any basis prohibited by law.“

 

Employees or training participants who feel this policy is not being followed should contact the program CEO immediately for support.  Open communication provides opportunity for dialogue in support of inclusiveness for all and non-discriminatory practices.

Commitment to Diversity

We believe in the inherent worth of every human and believe that through diversity we can learn from one another to productively envision and work towards a more just, equitable, and vibrant future. While we recognize that certain tenets of our philosophy – that children learn through active participation, that children should be free to explore what interests them, and that all children deserve equal and fair treatment – may not be complimentary to all cultures, we believe that contrasting perspectives can shed light on topics and can inform the way we approach challenges in our field. We welcome the diverse experiences and perspectives that our participants bring to our program and take pride in the fact that we learn from our participants even as they learn from us.

 

We recognize that the ethnic composition of our country is transitioning, and that teachers in the future will have greater numbers of dual language or exclusively Spanish-speaking students. It is important that qualified Spanish-speaking providers are available and qualified to provide care for this population, so that home languages of students can be supported. Unlike many CDA programs, we offer teacher-led Spanish cohorts to ensure that we are meeting the needs of our diverse workforce. With our Spanish-speaking population on the rise, we recognize that professional development options for these providers are essential to the future of our field.

 

We also value the unique strengths and contributions that individuals with disabilities offer our early childhood environments. Throughout the program, references are made to modifications for special needs learners, as we feel that differentiated instruction is critical to supporting student success. We view students and providers with disabilities as complete people who have strengths of their own to share with the world. As an organization, we believe that it is the job of early childhood professionals to understand these strengths and modify curricula to support our population of learners who have diverse exceptionalities.

Discrimination Complaint Procedure

Students/employees who feel that they have been discriminated against are encouraged to submit a written complaint to any senior staff member that is not named in the complaint. The complaint shall include:

  • A description of the incident(s)
  • The names of the individuals who are believed to have engaged in discriminatory actions
  • The dates or timeframe in which the alleged discrimination occurred
  • The senior staff member shall review the complaint and conduct interviews with the involved staff members and/or students.

If it is determined that discrimination has occurred, parties complicit in the discrimination event shall receive a written warning at minimum, with additional training specified to resolve identified knowledge gaps. Senior staff members retain the right to immediately terminate any employee engaged in discriminatory activities that are considered severe or irremediable. Students who engage in discriminatory acts may be expelled from the program at the discretion of the CEO.

Anti-Retaliation Commitment

Atlas Training senior leadership, including supervisors and CEOs, may not retaliate against employees or students for submitting discrimination complaints in good faith. Retaliatory activities may include:

 

  • Rejection of the employee/student for advancement opportunities for which he/she is eligible and qualified.
  • Pay increases that are less than the standard amount allotted for staff members of similar performance quality
  • Malicious changes to schedules without a reason clearly linked to program needs
  • Toxic work and/or learning environment, including bullying
  • Determinations of grades that are not consistent with standard grading principles.
  • Either targeting or ignoring the student/staff member who filed the complaint
    Slandering the individual to others, including other students or colleagues.