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Sexual Harassment (Title IX)
The Board of Education affirms its commitment to non-discrimination and recognizes its responsibility to provide for all District employees an environment that is free of sexual harassment and intimidation. Sexual harassment is a violation of law and stands in direct opposition to District policy. Therefore, the Board prohibits all forms of sexual harassment by employees. Generally, sexual harassment is defined as unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature when:
- Submission to such conduct is made, either explicitly or implicitly, a term or condition of an individual's employment;
- Submission to or rejection of such conduct by an individual is used as the basis for employment decisions affecting such individual;
- Such conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual's work performance or creating an intimidating, hostile or offensive working environment.
The Board acknowledges that in determining whether sexual harassment has occurred, the perspective of the victim, as well as the offender's conduct and/or intention should be evaluated.
Any employee who believes that he/she has been subjected to sexual harassment shall report all incidents of such conduct to the District's designated complaint officer through informal and/or formal complaint procedures developed by the District. In the event that the complaint officer is the offender, the complainant shall report his/her complaint to the next level of supervisory authority. All such reports will be held in strictest confidence.
Upon receipt of an informal/formal complaint, the District will conduct a thorough investigation of the charges. However, if the District has knowledge of or has reason to know of any alleged sexual harassment, the District is obligated, even in the absence of a complaint, to investigate such conduct promptly and thoroughly.
Based upon the results of the District's investigation, immediate corrective action will be taken, up to and including termination of the offender's employment in accordance with contractual and legal guidelines. The Board prohibits any retaliatory behavior directed against complainants and/or witnesses. Follow-up inquiries shall be made to ensure that harassment has not resumed and that the victim and/or witnesses have not suffered retaliation.
The Board directs the Superintendent to develop regulations for resolving sexual harassment complaints. The Superintendent/designee(s) shall affirmatively discuss the topic of sexual harassment with all employees, express the District's condemnation of such conduct and explain the sanctions for harassment. Furthermore, all supervisors should be trained in the prevention of sexual harassment. A copy of this policy and its accompanying regulations shall be posted in appropriate places and available upon request to all employees.
