Code of Conduct

(Approved by the AYCO/ACE Board of Directors September 2024)

Every individual in the AYCO/ACE community – including individual members of all ages, staff, and volunteers – has the responsibility to aspire to the highest possible standards of conduct and must accept appropriate responsibility for their own behavior and report any unlawful or other inappropriate conduct of others.

Promotion of a Safe, Positive, and Healthy Environment for All

Members have an ongoing obligation and commitment to ensure a safe and healthy environment for all circus participants. Consistent with this obligation, members must:

• Maintain a safe learning environment and proactively address potentially harmful behavior or unsafe situations and practices.
• Promote a culture of trust and empowerment, with a focus on student and staff health and well-being.
• Respect the fundamental rights, dignity, and worth of all participants.
• Comply with mandatory reporting requirements established by federal and/or state law.
• Be sensitive to any imbalance of power (including but not limited to, employer/employee, coach/student, and imbalances based on race, gender, sexual orientation, age, etc.).
• Resolve conflicts in a manner that does not cause further harm.

Commitment to Integrity

Members have a responsibility to uphold the integrity of circus arts education and to act honestly, openly, fairly, and competently.

• Members must not harass students, employees, peers, other Members, other schools, studios, or members of the public, through in person or online activities such as trolling, stalking, using hate speech, threatening, intimidating, reporting of false grievances, manipulating, or otherwise harassing in any form or manner.
• Members must not intentionally or negligently cause harm—verbally, physically, or otherwise—to students, employees, peers, other Members, or members of the public through any action, including but not limited to actions prescribed by local, state, provincial, national, and federal laws and regulations. Sexual harm and racist harm are included in this definition. 
• Members must maintain respect and refrain from intimidating or improperly influencing any individual.
• Members must avoid engaging in business practices directed toward another Member that are known to be or are determined by a court or similar adjudicatory body to be unethical, illegal or a breach of contract.
• Members must avoid making false or misleading claims; or, falsify, or omit any information, record or document or other evidence.
• Members must accurately represent professional qualifications, education, experience, eligibility, criminal record and other misconduct, and/or affiliations.

Participation and Inclusion

Members have the right to participate in any AYCO/ACE activity or event and may participate to the best of their abilities. 

• Members must promote inclusion and an environment free of discrimination.
• Members may not:
  • Restrict the ability to participate in events or activities because of the person’s association with a particular organization or individual or because of that person’s race, sex, creed, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, mental or physical disability, or body type.
  • Discriminate in the allocation of resources or opportunities on the basis of race, sex, creed, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, mental or physical disability, or body type.
• Members must promote positive participation and avoid behavior that is likely to interfere with the orderly conduct of the activity or others’ participation in, or enjoyment of, an activity or event.

Grievance Procedure

(Approved by the AYCO/ACE Board of Directors, November 2022.)

AYCO/ACE is a nonprofit 501(c)3 membership organization for circus students and educators, and does not require a background check to join. Instead, we require all members to follow our Code of Conduct.

We encourage all members of our community to file a grievance if they experience harassment or other violations of our code of conduct. However, as a membership organization, we are limited in our ability to respond to such reports. Please also seek support from relevant law enforcement or victim support service agencies, especially if you are concerned about potential retaliation.

AYCO/ACE is not a judicial body and does not have the authority or capacity to investigate and stop criminal activity. We respond thoughtfully to all reported grievances, following our Grievance Procedure. Please report violations of our Code of Conduct by emailing report@americanyouthcircus.org. A member of our staff will contact you to discuss the process moving forward.

Grievance Policy & Procedure

This Policy applies to all members and prospective members of AYCO/ACE.

Violations of our Code of Conduct will not be tolerated. Members in violation of the Code of Conduct will be subject to remedial and/or disciplinary action (e.g., suspension or termination of membership).

Grievances must be reported to AYCO/ACE within two years of their occurrence.

No third-party reports of violations will be accepted under this policy. Violations against minors may be reported by a legal guardian.

AYCO/ACE will review reported Grievances and assess whether (a) the complaint is about a current or prospective member of AYCO/ACE, (b) the report is being made within the required 2-year timeframe, and (c) the complaint refers to conduct covered by this policy. If additional information is needed to make a determination, AYCO/ACE staff will request this information from the person filing the complaint.

AYCO/ACE may be required to disclose information contained in a report or learned during an investigation.

Reasons for disclosure include, but are not limited to, relevant state and/or federal law; and mandatory reporting related to Child Abuse and Sexual Misconduct. Each person involved in the Process is responsible for understanding what legal confidentiality requirements, if any, apply to their conduct.

To officially file a grievance against a member or prospective member of AYCO/ACE, please email report@americanyouthcircus.org with the following information:

• Your full name and contact information
• Full name of the person accused of violating our Code of Conduct
• Description of the alleged misconduct including dates and locations
• What portion of the Code of Conduct is alleged to be violated
• Names and contact information for any non-minor witnesses of the alleged misconduct

Once a grievance is determined to be applicable under this policy, AYCO/ACE will notify the member or prospective member accused of misconduct via electronic mail.

AYCO/ACE may suspend membership while investigating a reported grievance, or if we are made aware of relevant law enforcement investigations or legal proceedings. In the case of ongoing law enforcement investigations or legal proceedings related to a reported grievance, we may delay our investigation pending the outcome of these proceedings.

Our investigative process will provide equal opportunity to be heard for the person reporting the grievance and the person accused of misconduct. AYCO/ACE staff will gather information from both parties and any relevant witnesses to determine whether a violation of our Code of Conduct is more likely than not. In reaching this decision, we will consider factors such as corroborating or conflicting details, plausibility and relevance of information provided, and good-faith participation in the process. This investigation will maintain confidentiality for all parties to the extent practical.

If a member or prospective member is determined to be in violation of our Code of Conduct, AYCO/ACE will take appropriate action, which may range from education to suspension or termination of membership. Both parties will be notified of the decision.

Appeals may be requested by either party in the case of deviations from the procedures outlined in this policy or the emergence of new evidence relevant to the reported Grievance. Dissatisfaction with the decision is not sufficient grounds for an appeal. Outside arbitration or mediation may be sought by either party, but will not be financially supported by AYCO/ACE.