24/7 Respect is a program, created by the Boston Public Schools (BPS) Office of Equity, to empower students to address and report bias-based and sexual misconduct, whether it is in-person or online. 

Students in grades 6 through 12 watch and discuss the film, "24/7 Respect," to better understand how to identify and report bias-based and sexual misconduct. Schools are provided with optional lesson plans, enabling students to deepen their understanding of how to foster a safe, respectful, and welcoming environment for all. The program is free to any interested school or district. All participating districts receive a step-by-step implementation guide.

We are so proud that the 24/7 Respect video won a Distinguished Communicator Award (Category: Education) and Silver Telly Award for Diversity and Inclusion in May 2020.

The BPS Office of Equity launched 24/7 Respect in Spring 2019 in response to an alarming nationwide increase in students engaging in bias-based and sexual misconduct, including posting offensive racial comments online and "sexting."

The 24/7 Respect program provided to schools includes:

• Access to the 24/7 Respect video in English and Spanish through a YouTube link 
  • The English video includes closed-captions in Arabic, Cape Verdean Creole, Chinese, English, Farsi, French, German, Haitian Creole, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, Somali, Spanish, Tagalog, Urdu, and Vietnamese
• Grade level specific lesson plans
• English language learner support guides
• Special Education student support guides
• Implementation guide for school and district leaders, including detailed rollout ideas and timelines, and sample communications to families and staff                                              

What will the BPS Office of Equity ask of school districts?

We will ask for these two simple commitments:

• Ensure all middle and high school students in your district watch and discuss the video for at least one class period
• Complete an exit survey to help us continually improve the program and materials and evaluate the program's impact

Awards

24/7 Respect, winner of the Distinguished Communicator Award in Education and the Silver Telly Award for Diversity and Education!

Contact the BPS Office of Equity 

To learn more or to bring 24/7 Respect to your school district, please contact the BPS Office of Equity directly at 617-635-9650 or bpsequity@bostonpublicschools.org.