cis human rights audit (june 2010)

8/2/2019 CIS Human Rights Audit (June 2010)

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REPORT ON THEHUMAN RIGHTS AUDIT

OF CHINESE

INTERNATIONAL

SCHOOL

CHINESE INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL

HUMAN RIGHTS GROUP

JUNE 2010


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CONTENTSContents ........................................................................................................................................................................ 2

Introduction ................................................................................................................................................................... 3

Methodology ......................................................................................................................................................... 3

Limitations ............................................................................................................................................................. 3

Structure of report ................................................................................................................................................. 4OverviewHighs and Lows ................................................................................................................................... 4

Overall cross-cutting recommendations ............................................................................................................... 5

The Audit ....................................................................................................................................................................... 7

1. All students receive equal information and encouragement about academic and career opportunities. (Art.

2) ............................................................................................................................................................................ 7

2. Members of the school community are not discriminated against because of their lifestyle choices, such as

manner of dress, associating with certain people, and non-school activities (art. 2 & 16) ................................... 9

3. CIS provides equal access to resources, activities, and scheduling accommodations for all students. (Art. 2 &

7) .......................................................................................................................................................................... 11

4. Members of CIS will oppose discriminatory or demeaning actions, materials, or slurs in the school. (Art. 2, 3,

7, 28, & 29) .......................................................................................................................................................... 13

5. When someone demeans or violates the rights of another person, the violator is helped to learn how to

change his/her behavior. (Art. 26) ....................................................................................................................... 15

6. Members of the CIS community care about my full human as well as academic development and try to help

me when I am in need. (Art. 3, 22, 26 & 29) ........................................................................................................ 17

7. When conflicts arise, we try to resolve them through non- violent and collaborative ways. (Art. 3, 28) ....... 19

8. Pastoral policies and procedures are implemented when complaints of harassment or discrimination are

submitted. (Art. 3 & 7) ......................................................................................................................................... 21

9. In matters related to discipline (including suspension and expulsion), all persons are assured of fair,

impartial treatment in the determination of guilt and assignment of punishment. (Art. 6, 7, 8, 9 & 10) .......... 23

10. No one in CIS is subject to degrading treatment or punishment. (Art. 5) ..................................................... 25

11. Someone accused of wrong-doing is presumed innocent until proven guilty. (Art. 11) ............................... 27

12. My personal space and possessions are respected. (Art. 12 & 17) ............................................................... 29

13. The CIS community welcomes students, teachers, administrators, and staff from diverse backgrounds,

including socio-economic and cultural backgrounds. (Art. 2, 6,13, 14 & 15) ..................................................... 3114. I have the liberty to express my beliefs and ideas (political, religious, cultural or other) without fear of

discrimination. (Art. 19) ....................................................................................................................................... 34

15. Members of CIS can produce and disseminate publications without fear of censorship or punishment. (Art.

19) ........................................................................................................................................................................ 36

16. Diverse voices and perspectives (e.g. gender, race/ethnicity, ideological) are represented in courses,

textbooks, assemblies, libraries, and classroom instruction. (Art. 2, 19, & 27) ................................................ 39

17. Members of CIS have the opportunity to participate (individually and through associations) in democratic

decision-making processes to develop school policies and rules. (Art. 20, 21, & 23) ........................................ 42

18. Members of CIS have the right to form associations within the school to advocate for their rights or the

rights of others. (Art. 19, 20, & 23) ..................................................................................................................... 45

19. Members of the CIS community work reasonable hours under fair work conditions................................... 47

20. I take responsibility in CIS to ensure other individuals do not discriminate and that they behave in ways

that promote the safety and well being of the CIS community. (Art. 1 & 29) .................................................... 51

Appendices .................................................................................................................................................................. 53

Appendix 1: Taking the Human Rights Temperature of Chinese International School ....................................... 54

Appendix 2- Survey Results: Student response ................................................................................................... 59

Appendix 3: The Universal Declaration of Human Rights .................................................................................... 89


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INTRODUCTION

From January to June 2010, the CIS Human Rights Group conducted an audit of Chinese International School (CIS).

The following report is the result of the audit.

The audit was based on the internationally recognized instrument, Taking the Human Rights Temperature

(http://www.hrusa.org/hrmaterials/temperature/default.shtm). The CIS Human Rights Group slightly adapted theinstrument to better suit the circumstances of CIS. (See appendix for adaptation.) Taking the Human Rights

Temperature is a standard instrument employed by the Human Rights Friendly Schools movement, an initiative

of Amnesty International and secondary schools all over the world committed to promoting human rights and

making their schools human rights friendly. In turn, the Human Rights Temperature is based on the Universal

Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). As such, it is firmly anchored in international law.

Therefore, it represents not only moral but also internationally-agreed legal norms. All countries and territories

which have signed and ratified these legally-binding international human rights instruments, as well as their

citizens and institutions, are required by law to comply with them. Both the International Covenant of Civil and

Political Rights and the International Covenant of Economic, Social and Cultural Rightsthe two main legally-

binding treaties resultant from UDHRare in force in Hong Kong, according to Article 39 of the Basic Law.

But human rights are not just a matter of law but also of culture, and the purpose of the CIS Human Rights Group

in conducting the audit was to collect information about and views of the current state of human rights at CIS in

order to promote the most rights-respecting school community possible. While in some respects, this might entail

following the letter of the law, in many others, it is to a large extent a matter of creating an environment in which

the rights and freedoms of all members of the community are respected. Such an environment is conducive both

to greater well-being of all members of the community and to the improvement of the school as an educational

institution. In a school, this is especially important as it provides a practical education in human rights and

democracy, key elements of civic education, helping young people to become active, responsible citizens who play

a constructive role in realizing a more democratic, rights-respecting society.

METHODOLOGY

The report is based on three sources: 1) a survey conducted of CIS students and staff, 2) interviews conductedwith individual students and staff members, and 3) information collected from other sources, including written

policies and other documents.

On the survey, respondents were asked to choose among the following five possible answers for each item:

1 - no/never

2 - rarely

3 - sometimes

4 - frequently

5 - yes/always

(Please see the appendix for the complete survey.)

LIMITATIONS

Limited time, resources and access to timetabled CIS programs imposed limitations on the audit. 106 of some 720

secondary students were surveyed, and 33 of some 98 teachers. Dozens of students and staff were also

interviewed. However, the survey was not conducted among cleaning, maintenance, office or security staff. Also,

students that were surveyed and interviewed were primarily in Grades 10 to 12, which means the opinions of

students in lower years may not have been fully represented.
http://www.hrusa.org/hrmaterials/temperature/default.shtmhttp://www.hrusa.org/hrmaterials/temperature/default.shtmhttp://www.hrusa.org/hrmaterials/temperature/default.shtmhttp://www.hrusa.org/hrmaterials/temperature/default.shtm


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However, while there are clear advantages to such an audit being conducted by a group independent of the

administration, support of such a project by the administration would allow for better coverage and more

thorough research. For more, see general recommendations below.

STRUCTURE OF REPORT

The report is structured according to items on the Human Rights Temperature, with recommendations arepresented under each item. The number after each item refers to the article in the UDHR upon which it is based.

OVERVIEWHIGHS AND LOWS

Below, CIS is rated according to the twenty areas audited. The ratings are made according to survey and interview

responses as well as other information. In many cases, the ratings closely align with the results of the survey and

responses of interviewees. In other cases, they may not, as other information was found to contradict the

perceptions of survey and interview respondents. Under some items, CIS rates quite highly in one aspect but lowly

in another.

These ratings are intended primarily to help CIS to focus on particular areas and prioritize efforts to improve. The

three categories are high, mixed and low. Brief explanations follow some groups of items as well as some

individual items, but for fuller explanations, refer to the full entries for the individual items below.

High:

Students receive equal information and encouragement about academic and career opportunities. Students have equal access, resources, activities, and scheduling accommodations for all individuals. Students and teachers personal space and possessions are respected.Mixed:

Members of the CIS community care about the full human as well as academic development of students andtry to help students in need

Members of the CIS community are not discriminated against because of their life style choices, such asmanner of dress, associating with certain people, and non-school activities

Members of the CIS community oppose discriminatory or demeaning actions, materials, or slurs in the school No one in CIS is subject to degrading treatment or punishment.While in many respects, CIS rated quite highly in the above areas, it is also felt by many that more could be done by

CIS to set and cultivate a tone that would help to create an even more accepting, tolerant environment.

When someone demeans or violates the rights of another person, the violator is helped to learn how tochange his/her behavior

When conflicts arise, we try to resolve them through non- violent and collaborative ways Pastoral policies and procedures are implemented when complaints of harassment or discrimination are

submitted.

In matters related to discipline (including suspension and expulsion), all persons are assured of fair, impartialtreatment in the determination of guilt and assignment of punishment.

Someone accused of wrong-doing is presumed innocent until proven guilty.


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In many of the above cases, there are formal policies and procedures in place to address the problems, but

perceptions exist that the policies and procedures are not always implemented with consistency or impartiality. In

particular, there are perceptions that favoritism exists based on a students academic reputation and/or on the

socio-economic status of the students family. The report does not attempt to assess the accuracy of these

perceptions, but it is revealing that such perceptions are pervasive and persistent.

Members of CIS have the right to form associations within the school to advocate for their rights or the rightsof others. (Art. 19, 20, & 23)

Diverse voices and perspectives (e.g. gender, race/ethnicity, ideological) are represented in courses,textbooks, assemblies, libraries, and classroom instruction. (Although diversity is represented in CIS, it

appears largely to be the result of individual teachers and students working in their individual capacities, as

opposed to an overall or coherent policy or code of conduct on the part of the school and community as a

whole.

I take responsibility in CIS to ensure other individuals do not discriminate and that they behave in ways thatpromote the safety and well being of the CIS community.

Low:

Members of CIS can produce and disseminate publications without fear of censorship or punishment. Members of CIS have the opportunity to participate (individually and through associations) in democratic

decision-making processes to develop school policies and rules.

The CIS community welcomes students, teachers, administrators, and staff from diverse backgrounds,including socio-economic and cultural backgrounds.

Members of the CIS community work reasonable hours under fair work conditions.In many respects, CIS rates quite highly in this area. Teachers appear to be generally satisfied with their hours and

conditions. While somewhat less satisfied than teachers, maintenance and cleaning staff also reported a fair

degree of satisfaction. Students have concerns about overwork and unbalanced homework schedules, but it

appears that the school is aware of these concerns and attempting to address them. However, the long work hours

and few days off for security guards is a grave matter that should be addressed with urgency.

OVERALL CROSS-CUTTING RECOMMENDATIONS

The following are general recommendations that do not pertain to specific items in the audit. Recommendationspertaining to individual items can be found in the entries for those items below.

CIS should

regularly undertake an audit of this sort. While there are clear advantages to such an audit being carried outby a group independent of school leadership, such as the CIS Human Rights Group, the audit is a major

undertaking and deserves the support of the school community, which would allow for better coverage and


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more thorough research. Such support might take the form of reserving two Choices sessions or one

Learning Enrichment session to filling out and discussing the survey and reserving one Staff Meeting or

Collaborative Planning session for the same.

involve both students and staff more fully in both the identification of rights-related problems and findingsolutions to identified problems. Not only will this take some of the pressure of school leadership to do so

and reduce the isolation of school leadership from staff and students, and not only will it help to identify and

address problems, but will also promote a culture in which each member of the community feels responsible

for addressing the problems.

educate both students and staff about their rights. In the case of students, involve students such as those inthe CIS Human Rights Group and others in the efforts. To a great extent, students will be more receptive to

the efforts of fellow students to discuss human rights than to those of staff. Again, as above, Choices,

Learning Enrichment, Staff Meeting and Collaborative Planning appear the most likely points of entry in the

current timetable, though integration of education about rights should also be an aim of classroom teaching.

set and continually cultivate a tone of respect for the rights of all members of the community in order topromote the well-being of the community and individuals and respect for human dignity. This is also

important to preventively address problems of discrimination, demeaning treatment, harassment and

bullying. This is an on-going process that must be persistently and consistently undertaken. It cannot be

done once and then forgotten. Nor is it simply a matter of formulation and publication of policy but of

constant and consistent implementation that requires the cooperation and participation of all members of

the community. While in many respects, CIS is a community in which the majority of individuals most of the

time feel safe, secure and respected as well as protected from discrimination, demeaning treatment,

harassment, it is important to avoid complacency.


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1. All students receive equal information and

encouragement about academic and career

opportunities. (Art. 2)

0%

0%

8%

53%

39%1

2

3

4

5

1. All students receive equal information and

encouragement about academic and career

opportunities. (Art. 2)1% 6%

32%

50%

11%

1

2

3

4

5

THE AUDIT

1. ALL STUDENTS RECEIVE EQUAL INFORMATION AND ENCOURAGEMENT ABOUT

ACADEMIC AND CAREER OPPORTUNITIES. (ART. 2)

Ensuring that all students receive equal opportunities and encouragement is integral to ensuring the schools

fairness, integrity and students rights. Currently, students all receive help and consultation from the university

guidance office, and the career counselor is also available to everyone.

SURVEY RESULTS:

53 % of the 33 teachers respond that the school frequently provides equal information and encouragement about

academic and career opportunities. 39% feel that the school sometimes does so and 8% think that the school

always does. 50% of 108 students feel that the school frequently provides equal academic information and

opportunities, 33% think sometimes, and 11% think always. 6% think that students rarely receive equal

information and encouragement, and 1% feel that students never receive equal information and encouragement.

Teacher Response

Student response


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Overall response:

OBSERVATIONS:

It was noted by both students and staff members of the University Counseling Office that generally students

receive equal access to information and encouragement.

Some students complain about lack of freedom of choice in determining their IBDP subjects, stating that they aretold they cannot take some subjects, in their own best interest. The staff response to this complaint is that it is the

responsibility of the staff to tell all students if they are not ready for or cannot succeed in a given subject.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

There are no substantial recommendations for the school in this regard, except that CIS maintains the good state

of availability of all opportunities for students.


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2. Members of the school community are not

discriminated against because of their life style

choices, such as manner of dress, associating

with certain people, and non-school activities.

(Art. 2 & 16) 3%

16%

31%

43%

7%

1

2

3

4

5

2. Members of the school community are not

discriminated against because of their life style

choices, such as manner of dress, associating

with certain people, and non-school activities.

(Art. 2 & 16) 3%11%

17%

44%

25%

1

2

3

4

5

2. MEMBERS OF THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY ARE NOT DISCRIMINATED AGAINST BECAUSE

OF THEIR LIFESTYLE CHOICES, SUCH AS MANNER OF DRESS, ASSOCIATING WITH

CERTAIN PEOPLE, AND NON-SCHOOL ACTIVITIES (ART. 2 & 16)

CIS has a fairly liberal stance on issues such as hair dye, piercings and tattoos compared to other schools in Hong

Kong. A uniform is required from reception to Y11, and usually unnatural hair colors, piercings and tattoo that arenot offensive are permitted.

SURVEY RESPONSE:

44% of teachers think that members of the school community are frequently not discriminated against, 25%

always not, 17% sometimes not, 11% rarely not and 3% never not. 43% of students think that members of the

school community are frequently not discriminated against, 7% always not, 31% sometimes, 16% rarely not and 3%

never not.

Teacher response

Student response

Overall Response


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INTERVIEWS AND ISSUES RAISED WITH STUDENTS:

Y10 student: I feel that the uniform is good because it promotes school spirit and I dont have a problem not being

able to wear what I want. I dont think that people with tattoos, unnatural hair colors or piercings are

discriminated against because I feel that all my classmates and teachers are very tolerant.

Y11 student: Discrimination does not come in the form of public condemnation and humiliation but often there isinvisible pressure for some individuals from their peers or teachers because they are viewed differently by what

they have done with their bodies.

OBSERVATIONS:

One of the two students interviewed felt that people with tattoos, unnatural hair colors or piercings arent

discriminated against.

For teachers, usage of Facebook and other internet socializing services must be discrete, teachers need a separate

account on these networks for student.

Some staff speak of what they consider limited understanding, tolerance, and promotion of difference. Indeed,

they say there are many subtle pressures for both students and teachers to conform. The result of this is adampening of self-expression and a deadening conformity.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

Promote understanding and celebration of difference through invitation to guests from various backgrounds who

can explain to students and staff their lives and views.

Emphasize individual expression rather than conformity


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3. CIS PROVIDES EQUAL ACCESS TO RESOURCES, ACTIVITIES, AND SCHEDULING

ACCOMMODATIONS FOR ALL STUDENTS. (ART. 2 & 7)

At CIS there are a variety of activities in which all students are in theory equally encouraged to participate, with

school recourses intended to be shared equally among all students.

SURVEY RESPONSE:

74% of students agree entirely or mostly with the statement. While it is encouraging that a majority of students

feel that they have equal access to resources, there is still a sizeable minority that feel they or others in the school

are at least sometimes denied full access to school activities and resources compared to other students. 41% of

the teachers felt that all individuals are provided with equal access, resources, activities and scheduling

accommodations always, 29% frequently, 14 percent sometimes, and 6 percent rarely. 48% of students felt they

received equal opportunities and resources frequently, 26% always, 22 % sometimes, 3 percent rarely, and 1

percent never.

Student response:

Teacher response:


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Overall response:

OBSERVATIONS:

One student complained that there was an activity that the student found very difficult to attend due to having

tutors on the day, even though the majority of the group wanted the date changed. Teachers in turn claim to have

schedules of their own, and say that students are welcome to negotiate the date of the activity.

Students are generally happy with the equal access to computer workplaces on the 7th floor and 8th floors, as well

as the laptops available in the library.

Some students who do not own or are unwilling to bring to school an up-to-date laptop are, however, wary of thepossible policy of having 'one laptop per person' that may be implemented in the future.

Y10: I feel that my peers and I get the same amount of attention, resources and so on. I do not feel there is any

unfairness in this respect.

Y12: I feel that sometimes, certain competitive activities are exclusive and excludes some individuals within the

community.

Academic competitions and opportunities and some activities do not include everyone.

Some subjects receive less schedule time than others.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

CIS should make clear that students can and should democratically decide the date on which a given activity should

be held.

CIS should reconsider the policy of having to bring one laptop per student.

CIS should ensure there is an open trial for every competitive activity.


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4. MEMBERS OF CIS WILL OPPOSE DISCRIMINATORY OR DEMEANING ACTIONS, MATERIALS,

OR SLURS IN THE SCHOOL. (ART. 2, 3, 7, 28, & 29)

The CIS Pastoral Office strongly opposes any form of bullying, which is taken to include expressing discriminatory

and demeaning actions, materials or slurs towards teachers and students at CIS. However, in practice, many

discriminatory and demeaning actions or statements are made that go unnoticed by school staff.

SURVEY RESPONSE

Student response

Teacher response


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Overall response

OBSERVATIONS:

Only 53% of students fully or mostly agree with the statement that members of CIS will oppose demeaning

actions. In student interviews, the widespread view emerges that though CIS staff almost always oppose both

implicitly and explicitly discriminatory actions, students often do neither.

Many students believe that discriminatory or demeaning actions and statements about racial, gender and sexual

orientation and other forms of discrimination occasionally occur and are directed toward intentionally insulting

other students and teachers.

More often than explicit discriminatory actions, all students report that members of CIS rarely oppose or even

realize implicit, subtle discrimination. A common example given is the widespread use of the word gay as a term

of criticism or insult.

Several members of the community mention that homophobia is a specific form of discrimination they would like

to see more assertively addressed.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

More actively and frequently communicate to the community its stated position on discrimination

Integrate education against discrimination more fully into its curriculum, its current Choices program being

perhaps the best opportunity to do so, including in particular dealing with issues of race, gender and sexual

orientation, inviting speakers from groups that face discrimination in Hong Kong, and discussing both overt and

more subtle and implicit forms of discrimination

Ensure that students understand that it is as much their responsibility to address discriminatory and demeaning

actions and speech as it is that of the staff, and provide training to students in how to effectively address them


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5. WHEN SOMEONE DEMEANS OR VIOLATES THE RIGHTS OF ANOTHER PERSON, THE

VIOLATOR IS HELPED TO LEARN HOW TO CHANGE HIS/HER BEHAVIOR. (ART. 26)

The CIS Pastoral Office's policy on bullying is designed to change the bully's behavior so that repeated acts of

bullying can be avoided. However, most students are skeptical about the efficacy of the policy, with only 41%

students believing that the above statement is fully or mostly true.

SURVEY RESPONSE

Student response

Teacher response


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6. MEMBERS OF THE CIS COMMUNITY CARE ABOUT MY FULL HUMAN AS WELL AS

ACADEMIC DEVELOPMENT AND TRY TO HELP ME WHEN I AM IN NEED. (ART. 3, 22, 26

& 29)

While it can be argued that the primary focus of a school is the academic progress of its students, the school

environment is also crucial in the fostering the development of other aspects of a students life through, for

example, extracurricular activities and responsibilities outside of the classroom.

SURVEY RESPONSE:

Survey results show that 61% of student and teacher respondents believe that the CIS community always or

frequently cares about their full human and academic development. 29% of respondents feel that this is only

sometimes true, and the remaining 10% say that the CIS community rarely or never shows care.

Student response

Teacher response

Overall response


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OBSERVATIONS

Students feel that the amount of care and help provided by teachers varies markedly from teacher to teacher.

Some are genuinely concerned about the students well-being while others do not care at all. Students discern a

general pattern correlating length of time at CIS with amount of care shown to students, and length of stay at CIS

with the generosity of care. There are however exceptions to that pattern.

Some students believe whether or not they participate in activities outside of class should be their decision and

responsibility, and teachers should not extracurricular participation into consideration when showing care tostudents. While it would be hard to square this view with the IB MYP and DP requirements regarding community,

action and service, another way to phrase the comment might be that students should be more encouraged to

participate in activities based on their own interest and enthusiasm rather than out of a sense of obligation or

compulsion.

Some students believe that teachers often show little regard for their full human development by assigning

excessive homework.

Some students believe that aspects of their lives outside of school are not recognized as important by CIS teachers

RECOMMENDATIONS:

Provide regular training to staff and opportunities for discussion among staff regarding pastoral care and helping

students to balance different and often competing aspects of their lives. This training should emphasize that not

only homeroom teachers and Pastoral Office staff are responsible for the overall human development of students

but all teachers are.

Better facilitate coordination and communication between teachers regarding amount of homework assigned and

ensure a degree of balance between different subjects regarding amount of homework


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7. WHEN CONFLICTS ARISE, WE TRY TO RESOLVE THEM THROUGH NON- VIOLENT AND

COLLABORATIVE WAYS. (ART. 3, 28)

Conflict is inevitable and in many cases to be welcomed as a catalyst of positive change. Recognizing, addressing

and resolving conflicts and disputes through non-violent and collaborative ways is vital to maintaining a sense of

safety and security in the CIS community as well as to fostering a dynamic environment that, rather than seeking torepress or avoid conflict is confident in its ability to deal with it effectively.

SURVEY RESPONSE

In general, the survey suggests that the CIS community is generally satisfied with the manner in which conflicts are

resolved. 82% of student and teacher respondents think that conflicts are always or frequently resolved through

non-violent and collaborative ways, 13% believe that this is sometimes the case, and 5% feel that this is rarely, or

never, the case.

Student response

Teacher response


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Overall response

OBSERVATIONS

Interviews indicate that many students feel that resolution of the conflict is almost always in favor of the more

powerful side of the dispute.

Students feel that students with a better reputation among the teachers are able to get away with more, which

puts their opposites at a disadvantage

Students also believe that those with connections with people in high positions at the school, such as those with

relations with members of the board, tend to receive preferential treatment.

Power struggles and evidence of structural violence is prominent in many attempts to resolve disputes.

Some teachers complained of a general conflict-averse culture at the school. Rather than having conflicts

discussed and addressed openly, they are often avoided or addressed in hidden ways. They see this as closely

related to the issue of lack of transparency and democracy in decision-making.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

Include student representatives to formulate and review of conflict resolution policy and involved studentsinvolved in conflicts to appoint other students to act as their companions and advocates in any formal processes.

Among staff cultivate habits and practices that allow differences of opinion to be expressed and addressed openly;

promote a culture of rational discussion of differences rather than one of obscuring or hiding them.


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8. PASTORAL POLICIES AND PROCEDURES ARE IMPLEMENTED WHEN COMPLAINTS OF

HARASSMENT OR DISCRIMINATION ARE SUBMITTED. (ART. 3 & 7)

The Pastoral Office is an important part of preventing, punishing and reforming acts of harassment and

discrimination at CIS. Whether this occurs when complaints are sent to the office will be investigated in this part

of the audit.

SURVEY RESPONSE

Student response

Teacher response


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Overall response

OBSERVATIONS

Only 20% of students say that the pastoral policies and procedures are always implemented when complaints of

harassment or discrimination are submitted, while 33% say they sometimes are. This is likely due to the

following:

Students feel that pastoral policies are implemented with differed degrees of energy and efficiency, depending on

the individual who submits the complaint and depending on the individual who is the subject of the complaint.

Students feel that when investigating, the pastoral department takes sides depending on how well they know thestudent and on the reputation of the student complaining or being complained about. If the person submitting a

claim has a bad reputation and s/he is submitting a claim about an individual with a good reputation, the

complaint is dealt with differently than when an individual with a good reputation submits a claim about an

individual with a bad reputation.

Students believe that due to the relatively small size of pastoral committees in handling such matters (usually only

the Head of Pastoral, Head of Year and occasionally homeroom teachers are consulted), bias can often creep in.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

aim for greater transparency of process. Pastoral policies are already made available to every student, an

important and effective step towards transparency. Students involved in a formal complaint of harassment or

discrimination should have the right to appointing one student and one adult advocate of their own choosing toaccompany them through the process.


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Overall response

OBSERVATIONS:

Students feel that in the assignment of guilt, a student never has a clean slate. They believe that a past offense

affects the determination of guilt no matter the irrelevance of the previous offense or the extent of their personal

development in the aftermath of a previous offense.

Students feel that in the assignment of guilt, depending on ones reputation, the staff member in charge of the

investigation will prejudge in favor of innocent until proven guilty in the case of a student with a good

reputation, or, in the case of those with past offenses or with a bad reputation, guilty until proven innocent.

Students believe that there is not enough discourse between those in charge of deciding guilt and those suspected.

They believe that there is no room for debate, discussion or explanation.

Students believe the nature of assigned punishment is counter-productive. They believe rather than being

reformatory or rehabilitory, the emphasis of punishment is on the punitive.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

As in the cases of formal procedures regarding conflict, harassment and discrimination, the rights of the studentsinvolved in disciplinary matters should be vigilantly protected. This should help to ensure fairness.

A through review of pastoral punishments is in order. This review should consult the practices of other schools

and take into consideration the goal of a punishment; that is ultimately to help rehabilitate the accused student.

A student should have the option, during disciplinary hearings, to have an adult or fellow student accompany

her/him. This would provide the accused with support and a witness.


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Overall response

OBSERVATIONS:

Students feel that although pastoral disciplinary policy and procedures are not degrading or humiliating, instances

of degrading treatment of students by teachers can occur in the classroom. These incidents include comments or

punishments that are intended to be humorous or are meant as a joke, but nevertheless affect students negatively

and may be regarded as demeaning. Reported incidents include off-hand derogatory comments about race,

ethnicity, religion, or lifestyle choices, or judgmental comments based on stereotypes (such as sexist remarks).

These comments are not usually aimed directly at a particular student but still lower the self-worth of students

affected by such comments.

Degrading treatment by students of their own peers is also a cause for concern. However, many students feel that

bullying is never completely avoidable in a school environment, and that degrading comments or insults by

students are hard to police due to lack of initiative by students in reporting such incidents to teachers or pastoral

staff.

Several teachers reported either being subjected themselves to degrading treatment by superiors or having

witnessed fellow teachers being subjected to such treatment by superiors. They perceive that there is little

recourse in the event of such treatment, and they say that fellow teachers and other superiors are often reluctantto confront the offending party.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

Encourage teachers to use good judgement when it comes to speech on race, ethnicity, religion, lifestyle choices,

and refrain from making sexist, homophobic, or otherwise derogatory or demeaning remarks. This may include

professional development sessions that focus on such issues.

Reinforce education, prevention, and appropriate discipline on the subject of bullying.


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11. SOMEONE ACCUSED OF WRONG-DOING IS PRESUMED INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN

GUILTY. (ART. 11)

In the case of more serious offenses, the pastoral department is responsible for investigating the offense, and

assigning punishments. Disciplinary procedure is typically systematic and regulated and also clearly articulated and

published in the school diary. However, teachers may take a less formal, consistent approach in the classroom.While item 9 also touches upon implementation of pastoral procedures, this clause considers the assignment of

blame by teachers in more informal situations, such as in the classroom.

SURVEY RESPONSE:

The majority of respondents believe that it is sometimes or often true that someone accused of wrong-doing is

presumed innocent until proven guilty. 14% believe that it is always true, and 20% think that the statement is

never or rarely true. Teachers have a much more positive response than students.

Student response

Teacher response


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12. MY PERSONAL SPACE AND POSSESSIONS ARE RESPECTED. (ART. 12 & 17)

Respecting the personal space and possessions of all members of the CIS community is crucial to establishing a

safe and secure school environment, and CIS has implemented several policies in order to achieve this.

SURVEY RESULTS:

The survey reveals that 78% of students and teachers believe that personal space and possessions are always or

frequently respected. 6% of students and teachers believe that personal space and possessions are rarely or never

respected. All interviewees express satisfaction with the locker and surveillance systems as well as with the respect

accorded personal space by students, teachers and staff members.

Student response

Teacher response


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13. THE CIS COMMUNITY WELCOMES STUDENTS, TEACHERS, ADMINISTRATORS, AND STAFF

FROM DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS, INCLUDING SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL

BACKGROUNDS. (ART. 2, 6,13, 14 & 15)

As an international school, CIS is more diverse than most local Hong Kong schools. While CIS has staff and students

from a diversity of backgrounds, it has few policies to encourage diversity. Among both staff and students,however, there appears to be some complacency in regard to the issue of diversity.

SURVEY RESPONSE:

In response to the survey, 68% of students and staff believe that CIS welcomes students, teachers, administrators,

and staff from diverse backgrounds. 27% of students believe that CIS sometimes welcomes a diversity of students

and staff from different backgrounds.

Student response

Teacher response


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Overall response

OBSERVATIONS:

Interviews reveal a general concern among students and teachers about the predominance of Caucasian staff

members in the pastoral team and in the leadership team.

Students feel that CIS does not welcome students of diverse socio-economic backgrounds. Almost all current

students' parents are capable of paying tuition without financial aid or scholarships. It is also evident that most

current students' families come from the upper-middle and upper classes of Hong Kong.

Students feel that although the school offers the possibility of applying for a scholarship and/or financial aid to all

those interested, the possibility of actually being awarded a scholarship or financial aid is extremely rare. For

example, currently, only one student in Year 11 receives financial aid.

Students feel that scholarship and financial aid are currently exclusively offered to academically excellent students

rather than to those with talent in sports or in the arts.

Some teachers note that there is no explicit recruitment policy to diversify the staff. While they regard the CIS

faculty as generally friendly and accepting, they say an Anglo culture dominates.

Some teachers also find that a significant number of teachers are ignorant of and uninterested in Hong Kong and

Chinese culture, history and society, and this is disadvantageous in a school called Chinese International School.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

Prioritize increasing socio-economic diversity by articulating a goal of admitting candidates based solely on merit

rather than on ability to pay tuition. The strategy to achieve this goal should include benchmarks to chart progress.

The school can follow the scholarship and financial aid program of other G20 schools. For example, Phillips

Academy, Andover offers an extensive scholarship and financial aid program in order to admit students without

regard to a family's ability to pay tuition. In 2009-2010, 44% of Andover's student body receives financial aid, and


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12% of the student body received full scholarships. Moreover, Andover's scholarship and financial aid program is

supported through the generosity of alumni, parents and friends of the Academy.

Articulate a faculty recruitment policy that encourages diversity and a strategy that includes diversifying ways of

means of searching for new faculty.

More highly prioritize diversity in the filling of vacant leadership positions.

Offer a more well-rounded scholarship program, which includes art scholarships and sport scholarships. Again, the

school can refer to scholarship and financial aid programs from other G20 schools. For example, Sevenoaks School

offers academic, music, sport, drama and art scholarships. The Findlay Scholarship is offered at Sevenoaks to a

pupil who is outstanding in a sport and is applying for a sixth form day place.


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14. I HAVE THE LIBERTY TO EXPRESS MY BELIEFS AND IDEAS (POLITICAL, RELIGIOUS,

CULTURAL OR OTHER) WITHOUT FEAR OF DISCRIMINATION. (ART. 19)

CIS mission statement encourages students to be respectful of other views, beliefs and cultures, and there are

also pastoral and disciplinary procedures against discrimination of religion, culture and sexual orientation. This

part of the audit will investigate just how effective these procedures are in creating a safe environment where

students feel free to express their beliefs and ideas without fear of discrimination.

SURVEY RESPONSE:

44% of all respondents to the survey said that they agreed with the statement often / frequently, and 20% of

respondents said that they always agreed with the statement. 27% of respondents agreed sometimes, 7% agreed

rarely, and 3% replied never.

Student response

Teacher response


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Overall response

OBSERVATIONS:

Interviews indicate that students feel that they do have the liberty to express their religious views, and that

religious beliefs are rarely discriminated against

Students feel that most of their beliefs and ideas can be expressed safely in the school environment, and although

controversial conversations can spark argument and debate, direct discrimination and harassment is unlikely

Nonetheless, students still feel that the CIS community still does not easily accept certain beliefs and lifestyle

choices, in particular those of LGBTQ people.

Students feel limited in their expression of critical views against the school, and are afraid of discrimination or

prejudice from teachers if they launch a complaint against them to the school administration.

In general, students feel that the school community is not overtly discriminatory, yet subtle hate speech or slurs

remains a serious issue.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Further education in accepting diversity in beliefs and views that can be included in Enrichment time or CHOICES

sessions would be beneficial to the CIS community.

Open discussions of ones personal beliefs in a safe environment will expose students to differing views of their

peers, and teach them that varying opinions should not be a source of conflict, but a chance to understand anotherpersons point of view.


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15. MEMBERS OF CIS CAN PRODUCE AND DISSEMINATE PUBLICATIONS WITHOUT FEAR OF

CENSORSHIP OR PUNISHMENT. (ART. 19)

Publications here are understood in the wide sense of not only magazines or newspapers but also other forms of

public expression including posters produced by student groups, advertisements for bake sales, dress casual days,

events, and postings on Moongate. Whilst teachers may disseminate material they themselves create, this is

mostly in the form of in-class or activity handouts; however, the informative nature of such material and the lackof oversight by other members of staff mean that this section of the audit will focus rather on student publications.

SURVEY RESPONSE:

The survey indicates that, on the whole, opinion differs quite widely. 48% of all surveyed found that it is always or

frequently the case that members of the CIS community can disseminate material without fear of censorship or

punishment, whilst of the remaining 52%, 24% believe that this is rarely or never the case. 22% of teachers and

24% of students believe that the schools treatment of dissemination of publications far from satisfactory. In the

category with the most student-teacher disparity, 26% of students and 36% of teachers found that individuals

need sometimes fear reprimand or censorship for disseminated materials.

Student response

Teacher response


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Overall response

OBSERVATIONS:

CIS has no official rules or policy regarding what material may or may not be published.

It is worth noting that not all students are involved in the creation of materials to be published and disseminated.

This implies that some may not be aware of the processes that must be undertaken, nor the potential censorship

some may face.

Students interviewed seem as a whole to believe that the community is allowed quite a high degree of self-

expression and are for the most part surprised when presented with instances of censorship. Many believe that

while the school does have a certain obligation to allow the publication and circulation of material produced by the

community, as a private institution the school does not need to place the same value on such freedoms as, say, a

nation does.

Much of the censorship that takes place at CIS appears to be self-censorship. That is to say, no one in a position of

authority explicitly states that certain types of expression or kinds of information or opinion cannot be expressed.

Rather, various members of the community take it upon themselves to censor themselves, often in the fear that

not to do so may invite opprobrium. Students were, for example, told on World AIDS Day not to hang posters with

condoms on them. Others have noted that they have chosen not to express certain views on China for fear that

they would not be appreciated.

Other forms of censorship appear more indirect. In other words, again, no one says that certain views cannot be

expressed. Rather, administrative measures are taken to prevent certain forms of expression. Examples include

rules governing who may say what and to whom on Moongate. Students, for example, are not allowed to post

independently on Moongate, and staff are advised to post statements strictly related to positions they hold. On

another occasion, one group was denied permission to hold a dress casual day, only to find out later that another

group had been given permission to have a dress casual day on the same date, creating the suspicion of bias.


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On occasion, people in leadership positions have expressed discomfort with the expression of political views. They

were careful to take no position on the political views themselves but asserted that the avenue through which the

views were published was perhaps inappropriate and that the views could make people uncomfortable.

RECOMMENDATIONS

CIS should actively promote freedom of expression through stating that all views are welcome and encouraged and

through educating students in Choices and Learning Enrichment about the meaning, issues and significance of

freedom of expression.

Consider the use of Moongate to facilitate communication and expression of views between members of the CIS

community.

Prioritize the development of a culture of free expression.


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16. DIVERSE VOICES AND PERSPECTIVES (E.G. GENDER, RACE/ETHNICITY, IDEOLOGICAL)

ARE REPRESENTED IN COURSES, TEXTBOOKS, ASSEMBLIES, LIBRARIES, AND

CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION. (ART. 2, 19, & 27)

With its focus on bilingualism and a multicultural approach to education, it is to be expected that CIS would be a

school where students and teachers are exposed to a wealth of opinions and perspectives, whether related toteaching and teaching materials, treatment of current events, special addresses given, or books and other

publications made available in the classroom and the library.

One of the schools pastoral aims is to establish an atmosphere of tolerance and respect for different cultures and

beliefs. It is stated that this is achieved through

-the active promotion of the values of consideration, respect, and tolerance

-exploration of cultures and beliefs through the CHOICES program wealth of trips, exchange programs, and field

studies made available to students

-celebration of the schools cultural diversity.

While this is often the case, it appears to largely be the effect of individual teachers and students working in their

individual capacities, as opposed to an overall or coherent policy on the part of the school and community as a

whole.

SURVEY RESPONSE:

Altogether, 51% of all individuals (56% of teachers and 50% of students) surveyed are of the opinion that members

of the CIS community are always or frequently exposed to diverse voices and perspectives. 0% of teachers and

only 3% of students believed that the school never provides a range of perspectives, although 11% of students and

14% of teachers surveyed believe that the school only rarely provides such diversity. 35% of all those surveyed

believed that the school sometimes provided a range of opinions and perspectives.

Student response


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Teacher response

Overall response

OBSERVATIONS:

For Project Week, students are presented with a plethora of options of trips to choose and cultures to which they

can be introduced.

The school library subscribes to a variety of magazines with diverse views and accounts of current events.

Books in the library often present opposing views, especially with regard to subjects such as history.


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In the classroom, through reading material and discussions, students are given access to a range of opinions about

often sensitive or controversial topics.

Some interviewed students claim that teachers have on occasion presented their own opinions of current events

unrelated to the course during class without providing any alternative views.

The school often invites guest speakers, though they usually speak to a particular group, and there are few

speaking events open to members of the community at large.

There are no public forums for open discussion.

There are no school assemblies at which open discussion occurs.

Several teachers noted that open debate is not encouraged at staff meetings and that when their views are

solicited, it is often through channels such as online surveys which do not facilitate communication between

people.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Create the space for public fora where discussion of issues of significance to the CIS community specifically as well

issues of wider significance to Hong Kong, China and the world can be openly discussed and debated.

Occasionally hold school assemblies to discuss issues of significance to the community


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17. MEMBERS OF CIS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE (INDIVIDUALLY AND

THROUGH ASSOCIATIONS) IN DEMOCRATIC DECISION-MAKING PROCESSES TO

DEVELOP SCHOOL POLICIES AND RULES. (ART. 20, 21, & 23)

CIS consults teachers and students in decision-making processes, but there is virtually no formalized participation

on the part of teachers and students in democratic decision-making processes. The key words are participation

and democratic. Consultation is not participation but reference made to individuals outside of the decision-making process. Indeed, the exact processes of decision-making remain opaque to most members of the CIS

community. A small number of people appear to play an inordinately large role. Of special concern is the

perception that the board of CIS appears to play a role in decisions which at most educational institutions are

usually the prerogative of the head of school and staff. While the selection and running of the student council has

some features of democratic decision-making and some academic departments are run using democratic decision-

making to some extent, few if any school-wide decisions are made according to a democratic process.

SURVEY RESPONSE

73% of survey respondents say members of CIS rarely, never or sometimes have the opportunity to participate in

democratic decision-making processes (34% rarely or never, 39% sometimes). Of the remaining 27%, 21% say

members frequently have the opportunity to participate, while 6% say always.

Student response

Teacher response


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Overall response

OBSERVATIONS

In student interviews, students express some satisfaction with the amount of say they have in how the school is

run.

Students elect the student council directly. However, the interface between the student council and the faculty

and school leadership is unclear. It appears that the student council is able to make appeals on certain issues to

the school leadership. However, this appears to be primarily on a certain relatively small number of issues. There

is no formal mechanism of interaction or communication between the student council and the staff meeting.

Apart from the student council, there are other groups such as Year groups which interact with Heads of Year. Therelationship between these and the student council in terms of responsibilities and remits is somewhat ambiguous,

and one of their possible effects is to weaken the representative power of the student council. In addition, there

are the positions of Head Boy and Head Girl, who appear to be regarded to some extent as student representatives,

but they are chosen by school leadership and in this sense are not formally student representatives. Students have

no representation on the board, nor are minutes of board meeting minutes or decisions made available to them on

a regular basis.

In teacher interviews, the lack of opportunity to participate in democratic decision-making processes is the biggest

and most frequent complaint. There is a significant number of teachers who consider this a significant problem,

and it is an issue that is often raised in informal conversation about the school.

The teachers and staff have no elected body similar to the student council. Staff meetings are rather infrequentand the space between them irregular. The staff meeting is not a decision-making body but largely a forum for

dissemination of information and consultation. There is no staff participation in the setting of the staff meeting

agenda, and agendas are frequently sent to the staff on the same day of the meeting. Heads of Department meet

on a regular basis, mostly on matters pertaining to academics, but Heads of Department are similar to Head Boy

and Head Girl in that these are appointed positions, so Heads of Department are not staff representatives. There

are no formal mechanisms through which teachers can participate and no formal democratic decision-making

processes. Teachers have no representation on the board, nor are minutes of board meeting minutes or decisions

made available to them on a regular basis.


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RECOMMENDATIONS

Create the permanent positions of student, faculty and staff (maintenance, cleaning, security) representatives to

the board. The representatives shall be chosen from their respective constituencies through a democratic process.

Clarify the relationship between the student council and other student institutions such as Year groups and Head

Boy/Girl, ideally with an eye toward making the student council the body of student representatives on whole-

school matters.

Make the staff meeting a decision-making body that meets regularly according to an agenda made with the

participation of all staff. The staff meeting should vote on proposals as well as hold discussions on school issues.

According to this system, Head of Secondary retains executive decision-making power and final say on all decisions

affecting the whole school, but significant issues affecting the whole school, no matter their origin, must be put to

the staff meeting in the form of a proposal, discussed and voted on by staff.

Have a student council representative at each staff meeting in the capacity of auditor, in order to create better

flow of information and communication between student council and staff. In the case of confidential matters, the

student council representative can be asked to leave the meeting.


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18. MEMBERS OF CIS HAVE THE RIGHT TO FORM ASSOCIATIONS WITHIN THE SCHOOL TO

ADVOCATE FOR THEIR RIGHTS OR THE RIGHTS OF OTHERS. (ART. 19, 20, & 23)

Members of CIS are not actively or formally denied the right to form associations, but nor is their formation

encouraged or regarded as important to the development of CISs potential as an educational institution.

SURVEY RESPONSE:

Only 11% of student and teacher respondents believe that all members of CIS have the right to form associations

within the school to advocate for their rights or the rights of others. 47% of respondents feel they

frequently/often have the right, 26% sometimes and 16% feel that this is rare/not true. 31% of teachers

believe they do not have the right to form associations within the school to advocate for their rights or the rights

of others. 51% of the students agree that this is also the case for students. Responses that this is sometimes the

case are similar for both students and teachers. 31% percent of the teachers believe this right is often/frequent,

while 23% of the students believe they often/frequently have this right.

Student response

Teacher response


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Overall response

OBSERVATIONS:

The extent to which students and staff have the right to form associations to advocate for their rights or the rights

of others remains significantly untested, though students appear to be ahead of teachers and other staff in this

area, as one aspect of the student councils work is to advocate for student rights.

The Student council is mainly comprised of six year 12 students who are elected through a democratic process. The

student council is created to introduce new school policies or improve policies already in place. It is supposed to

represent the entire student body and ensure that all voices are heard. In this way, student council is an

association made up of students to advocate for their rights. However, this group is sanctioned through thePastoral Office, and is not a purely independent student group.

While students have on occasion organized other groups to advocate for their rights on a short-term basis, and

these groups have been tolerated, their formation and their means of expression were also regarded as

inappropriate by school leadership.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Encourage the formation of independent associations of staff and students to advocate for their rights and the

rights of others and regard these associations not as problematic but as essential to constructively addressing

problems and building a better school.


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19. MEMBERS OF THE CIS COMMUNITY WORK REASONABLE HOURS UNDER FAIR WORK

CONDITIONS.

CIS employs various groups of workers, including teachers, office staff, maintenance and cleaning staff and security

staff, as well as sub-contracting work from Sodexho, which employs its own staff. In addition, students are part of

the CIS community.

Information was collected through surveys of teachers and students and individual interviews of employees from

the various groups as well as of students.

SURVEY RESPONSES:

Generally, employees from the various groups are quite satisfied with their work conditions, though they have also

raised substantial issues.

On the survey, 72% of teachers agreed entirely or mostly that members of the CIS community work reasonable

hours under fair work conditions, while 28% stated this was sometimes the case, and 0% said this was rarely or

never the case.

While no survey was conducted of other staff, staff in other groups said that they were generally happy with thework environment. The job security and stability at CIS is generally appreciated, especially relative to other

possible comparable places of employment in Hong Kong. In particular, cleaning and maintenance staff praised Mr.

Wong and felt that, overall, they were well treated.

In comparison to staff, students appear to be less satisfied with work conditions. On the survey, 49% of students

said that it was rarely or never the case that members of the CIS community work reasonable hours under fair

work conditions, while 25% says this happens sometimes. This was one of the points of greatest dissatisfaction

among students on the survey, and a point that was also repeatedly emphasized in individual interviews.

Student response


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Teacher response

Overall response

OBSERVATIONS:

Issues raised by teachers included the following:

Teachers children must pay tuition fees. This makes CIS less attractive compared to other international schools

which waive tuition fees for teachers children. In addition, while it does appear that some financial support is

available to teachers who wish to send their children to CIS, some teachers complained of a lack of transparency in

how this financial aid is apportioned and suspected there might be unequal treatment.


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Some teachers said that, relative to comparable positions elsewhere, the pension benefits at CIS are poor. The

MPF is not seen as an adequate solution by many. In addition, concerns were raised regarding how CIS gathers the

fees to paid into MPF, stating that CISs portion is actually deducted from teachers salaries.

Some concern was raised over the cost of housing in Hong Kong and the way in which CIS-owned housing is

apportioned. Some young teachers do not have salaries high enough to qualify for reimbursement of taxes for

housing. They appear to be the most negatively affected. At the same time, the limited CIS-owned housing goesto those with the most seniority, who usually have the higher salaries. Homeowners in Hong Kong are also eligible

for those flats. Young teachers with children find it the hardest to make ends meet.

Teachers are asked to work additional hours without negotiation, agreement or consensus. Examples given were

the collaboration time introduced in the current school year as well as the increased teaching time in the new

timetable to be implemented in the next school year.

By far the most concern was expressed about the absence of staff voice in decision-making processes at CIS. This

is dealt with under #17 but is mentioned here because staff feel that the lack of voice negatively affects their job

satisfaction and makes them feel sometimes less than full and equal members of the community.

Related to this, some staff deplored the lack of a staff association responsible for identifying and raising concerns,

needs and views of staff especially in regard to work conditions.

Issues raised by non-teaching staff included the following:

The base salary for cleaning and maintenance staff is around $8,000 a month, which is regarded as quite low.

While salary increases with experience, it appears to be a fairly widespread opinion among cleaning and

maintenance staff that there should be a general increase in salaries. Several said their current salaries do not

reflect the nature of their work or increase with inflation.

Several reported high levels of stress due to pressure on the job. In particular, they said they are often given very

short notice about important meetings and therefore have to rush to prepare in a short time.

Quite a few events requiring support personnel take place on Saturdays, and these are seen as eating into

employees days of rest.

The security guards work 12-hour shifts six days a week, for a total of a 72-hour work week. They have only four

days off a month. They receive no overtime pay for additional hours worked over 40 hours. While this appears to

be somewhat standard practice in Hong Kong, it is definitely not consonant with the concept ofreasonable hours

under fair work conditions. Security guards say they have very little time to spend with their families. Other staff

are certainly not expected to work such long hours as a matter of routine.

Issues raised by students included the following:

Many students report feeling overburdened by homework assignments and assessments. They also say there is

substantial difference between subjects in work assigned and that teachers do not coordinate well among

themselves so as to spread the amount of work more evenly. Many students reported suffering from lack of sleep

and feeling that they do not often do their work as well as they would like to due to lack of time and simply too

much of it. They say that initiatives taken in response to Year 11 complaints are a good start but that much more

needs to be done on this issue.

RECOMMENDATIONS

In regard to teachers

review its policy to not waive tuition in cases of teachers children, involving teachersespecially teachers with

childrenin the review


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publish a clear policy on financial aid that will ensure transparency and equality and fairness of treatment

study pension options so as to ensure that pension solutions can be as internationally competitive as possible

In regard to non-teaching staff

as a matter of urgency, address the issue of overwork of security guards. This should be done in collaboration withthe guards and following their own suggestions for a solution. In particular, it should be done according to the

following principles: 1) no overall reduction of pay for reduction of work hours; 2) all those currently employed will

remain employed; 3) agreement as to what constitutes a full work week consonant with international standards

(about 40 hours a week), with overtime pay for additional hours. CIS should be a leader in labor relations practices

and not use patently unfair local standards as an excuse.

ensure that base salaries of cleaning and maintenance staff are at least at or above the $33-an-hour minimum

wage currently proposed by Hong Kong labor unions

set up a living wage committee with the remit to determine whether or not the CIS wage structure guarantees a

living wage for all employees

inform maintenance and cleaning staff well in advance of when extra personnel are needed for weekend events

ensure that the rest days of maintenance and cleaning staff are not reduced by any extra work required, or that

they are paid overtime for the extra work

In regard to all employees

carry out systematic surveys of staff on a regular basis so as to determine areas of concern

encourage the formation of associations of faculty, maintenance and cleaning staff and security staff with the

purpose of bringing to the attention of school leadership areas of concern regarding working conditions

In regard to all students

formalize and clarify mechanisms of student voice and input, so that on a regular basis, students can make their

concerns known and also be informed in advance of any proposed changes, as a way of coordinating their workload. These formalized mechanisms should include a single avenue of student expression, such as the student

council, instead of the current situation in which it is unclear through which formal channels student concerns are

to be expressed, and, ideally, a student representative at a staff meeting constituted as a decision-making body

facilitate improved coordination between staff regarding student homework as well as regular discussion of

amount of work across subjects


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20. I TAKE RESPONSIBILITY IN CIS TO ENSURE OTHER INDIVIDUALS DO NOT DISCRIMINATE

AND THAT THEY BEHAVE IN WAYS THAT PROMOTE THE SAFETY AND WELL BEING OF

THE CIS COMMUNITY. (ART. 1 & 29)

Generally, the incidence of over discrimination and of threats to the safety and well being of the CIS community

appears to be low. Most students and staff do not feel that they are discriminated against; nor do they feel unsafe.

However, the CIS community does not receive training about taking responsibility to personally ensure that

individuals are not discriminated against or that they behave in ways that promote the safety and well being of the

CIS community. Students say that CIS students are diffident and lack the confidence and know-how to confront a

peer, whether older or younger. They believe that in the event of unsafe or discriminatory behavior, the average

CIS student will act as a bystander and not take responsibility to intervene. Anti-homosexual comments and slurs

have been overheard in the staff room but the staff who report this did not feel comfortable or confident to

confront them. Anti-homosexual comments have been frequently overheard amongst students, and especially

amongst those in the lower secondary. Sometimes staff intervene when such comments are overheard, but both

students and staff report that students themselves do not intervene. Indeed, many laugh and appear to not only

find acceptable but enjoy the use of such slurs.

SURVEY RESPONSES:

On the other hand, on the survey, 42% of respondents say they will always take responsibility to ensure that

members of the community do not engage in discriminatory or unsafe behavior or speech. 47% say that they

often/frequently do so.

There is a discrepancy between responses to the survey and views collected through interviews. It could be that

some taking the survey did not understand that the item regarded taking personal responsibility as opposed to

opining on the general situation of discrimination and safety at CIS, or that the interviews gave individuals a chance

to elaborate on their views.

Student response


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Teacher response

Overall response

RECOMMENDATIONS

Provide training and instruction to staff and students on issues of both discrimination and safety, including what

constitutes discrimination, slurs or discriminatory behavior, and on taking personal responsibility to deal with the

issues. In regard to students, the training will most likely be most effective if focused on the younger years of

secondary. The most likely place for such training of students in the current timetable would be Choices or

Learning Enrichment.


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APPENDICES

1. Taking the Human Rights Temperature survey

2. Full survey results

3. Universal Declaration of Human Rights


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APPENDIX 1: TAKING THE HUMAN RIGHTS TEMPERATURE OF CHINESE INTERNATIONAL

SCHOOL

The CIS Human Rights Group is conducting a human rights audit of CIS. This survey is part of the audit. It is

based on articles in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Please rate each of the following statements according to this RATING SCALE:

1 - no/never

2 - rarely

3 - sometimes

4 - frequently

5 - yes/always

Thank you very much for taking the time to fill out the survey!

______________________________________________________________________________

Are you a student or a teacher?

Student

Teacher

All students receive equal information and encouragement about academic and career opportunities. (Art. 2)

1 - no/never

2 - rarely

3 - sometimes

4 - frequently5 - yes/always

Members of the school community are not discriminated against because of their life style choices, such as

manner of dress, associating with certain people, and non-school activities. (Art. 2 & 16)

1 - no/never

2 - rarely

3 - sometimes

4 - frequently

5 - yes/always

CIS provides equal access, resources, activities, and scheduling accommodations for all individuals. (Art. 2 & 7)

1 - no/never

2 - rarely

3 - sometimes

4 - frequently

5 - yes/always


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3 - sometimes

4 - frequently

5 - yes/always

No one in CIS is subjected to degrading treatment or punishment. (Art. 5)

1 - no/never2 - rarely

3 - sometimes

4 - frequently

5 - yes/always

Someone accused of wrong-doing is presumed innocent until proven guilty. (Art. 11 )

1 - no/never

2 - rarely

3 - sometimes

4 - frequently

5 - yes/always

My personal space and possessions are respected. (Art. 12 & 17)

1 - no/never

2 - rarely

3 - sometimes

4 - frequently

5 - yes/always

The CIS community welcomes students, teachers, administrators, and staff from diverse backgrounds, includingsocio-economic, and cultures. (Art. 2, 6,13, 14 & 15)

1 - no/never

2 - rarely

3 - sometimes

4 - frequently

5 - yes/always

I have the liberty to express my beliefs and ideas (political, religious, cultural, or other) without fear of

discrimination.(Art. 19)

1 - no/never

2 - rarely

3 - sometimes

4 - frequently

5 - yes/always

Members of CIS can produce and disseminate publications without fear of censorship or punishment. (Art. 19)


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1 - no/never

2 - rarely

3 - sometimes

4 - frequently

5 - yes/always

Diverse voices and perspectives (e.g. gender, race/ethnicity, ideological) are represented in courses, textbooks,

assemblies, libraries, and classroom instruction. (Art. 2, 19, & 27)

1 - no/never

2 - rarely

3 - sometimes

4 - frequently

5 - yes/always

Members of CIS have the opportunity to participate (individually and through associations) in democratic decision-

making processes to develop school policies and rules. (Art. 20, 21, & 23)

1 - no/never

2 - rarely

3 - sometimes

4 - frequently

5 - yes/always

Members of CIS have the right to form associations within the school to advocate for their rights or the rights of

others. (Art. 19, 20, & 23)

1 - no/never

2 - rarely3 - sometimes

4 - frequently

5 - yes/always

Members of the CIS community work reasonable hours under fair work conditions. (Art. 23 & 24)

1 - no/never

2 - rarely

3 - sometimes

4 - frequently

5 - yes/always

I take responsibility in CIS to ensure other individuals do not discriminate and that they behave in ways that

promote the safety and well being of the CIS community. (Art. 1 & 29)

1 - no/never

2 - rarely

3 - sometimes

4 - frequently


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5 - yes/always

Are there any other human rights issues you feel the school has?


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APPENDIX 2- SURVEY RESULTS: STUDENT RESPONSE


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APPENDIX 2- SURVEY RESULTS: TEACHER RESPONSE


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APPENDIX 2- SURVEY RESULTS: OVERALL RESPONSE


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Appendix 3: The Universal Declaration of Human Rights

PREAMBLE

WHEREAS recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the humanfamily is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world,

WHEREAS disregard and contempt for human rights have resulted in barbarous acts which have outraged the

conscience of mankind, and the advent of a world in which human beings shall enjoy freedom of speech and belief

and freedom from fear and want has been proclaimed as the highest aspiration of the common people,

WHEREAS it is essential, if man is not to be compelled to have recourse, as a last resort, to rebellion ag

cis human rights audit (june 2010)

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