HARASSMENT EDUCATION

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HARASSMENT EDUCATION

• Unified School District of Antigo

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Objectives

• To ensure all employees understand
• Harassment is a serious legal issue
• Districts harassment policy complaint
  procedures
• Employees obligation to report suspected
  harassment
• What to do when you suspect harassment
• How to ensure a safe environment for students and
  staff

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What is the Legal Definition?

• For employees
• Harassment becomes illegal when an employer,
  supervisor or co-worker harasses a person because
  of their race, color, creed, ancestry, national
  origin, age (40 and up), disability, sex, arrest
  or conviction record, marital status, sexual
  orientation or membership in the military
  reserve.

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What is the Legal Definition?

• For students
• Harassment becomes illegal when another student,
  teacher or other person within the school
  environment harasses a student because of their
  race, color, creed, ancestry, national origin,
  age (40 and up), disability, sex, arrest or
  conviction record, marital status, sexual
  orientation or membership in the military reserve.

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Harassment Is...
Verbal abuse, epithets, vulgar or derogatory
language, display of offensive cartoons or
materials, mimicry, lewd or offensive gestures
and telling jokes offensive to protected class
members. The behavior must be more than a few
isolated incidents or casual comments. It
involves a pattern of abusive and degrading
conduct directed against a protected class member
that is sufficient to interfere with their work
or create an offensive and hostile work or
educational environment.
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School District Policies on Harassment

• Harassment in the Workplace and School
  Environment (No. 113.0)
• Sexual Harassment (No. 113.1)
• Harassment Complaint Procedures and Disciplinary
  Guidelines (No. 113.1 Rule)

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School District Policydefines harassment as any
of the following
1. Physical or psychological intimidation which
significantly interferes with anothers right to
work, learn, and to perform activities and
responsibilities related to those functions. 2.
Such conduct which has the purpose or effect of
substantially interfering with an individuals
work, including school work, performance or
creating an intimidating, hostile or offensive
working or academic environment.
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School District Policy, continueddefines
harassment as any of the following
3. Such conduct which is substantially coercive,
restraining, or reprisal in nature. 4. Any
activity which is conducted which is
significantly physically and psychologically
restrictive, harmful and or damaging to the
victim.
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Equal Rights Legislation

• Civil Rights Act of 1964
• amendments
• Title IX - no person shall, on the basis of sex,
  be excluded from participation in, be denied the
  benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination
  under any education program or activity receiving
  Federal financial assistance.

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Legislation, continued

• Title VI - Establishes similar rights, but deals
  with racial discrimination as opposed to sexual
  discrimination.
• Title VII - Is aimed at all employers and has the
  intent to, broadly eradicate discrimination
  throughout the economy.

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Sexual Harassment Is

• Is a form of sex discrimination
• Involves sexual conduct
• Opposite or same gender actions
• Must be unwelcome

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Sexual Harassment Is, continued
Unwelcome

• Sexual Advances
• Requests for Sexual Favors
• Sexual Physical Contact
• Verbal or Physical Conduct that is Sexual

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Verbal or Physical SexualConduct

• Unsolicited Gestures or Comments
• Display of Offensive Materials
• Other Conduct that
• substantially interferes with work performance
  or creates a hostile, intimidating or offensive
  work environment...

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Quid Pro Quo

• Sexual favors for tangible job benefits
• Done by supervisors or managers
• Can be explicit or implicit
• One instance enough
• Employer liable even if unaware

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Hostile Environment

• Harassment creates an environment which is
  hostile
• Often subtle--no bright line
• Substantially interferes with work or
• is hostile, intimidating or offensive
• Supervisor or co-worker can commit
• Frequency severity are key issues
• Liability varies with circumstances

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Reasonable Person Standard

• Stands in place of victim
• Guards against hypersensitivity
• Overcomes work culture stereotypes
• Considers gender and other circumstances of victim

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Clues to whether an instance may be harassment

• Would you say or do it in front of your spouse,
  parent or close friend?
• How would you feel if your spouse, daughter,
  sister, mother or close friend were subjected to
  the same words or behavior?
• Would you say or do it to a colleague who is the
  same sex as you?
• Is there equal power and participation?

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Reporting Harassment
Employees

• Any employees, volunteers, board members and
  applicants who believe they are victim of
  harassment should report their concerns to the
  principal, Coordinator of Human Resources or
  District Administrator.
• Any District employee, school board member,
  volunteer or individual who is aware of
  harassment is obligated to report the harassment
  to the principal, Coordinator of Human Resources
  or District Administrator.
• Students
• A students who believes he/she has be subjected
  to harassment by anyone should immediately report
  the harassment to the principal or guidance
  counselor.
• Students aware of harassment are obligated to
  report the harassment to the building principal
  or guidance counselor.

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Victim Actions

• Confront harasser--say no firmly and directly
• Record events--note your reactions
• Talk to friends/co-workers--any witnesses
• If it persists, consider letter to harasser
• Check District policies--use them
• File a formal charge if necessary

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Districts Response
Take immediate steps

• Investigate stop harassment
• Impose appropriate discipline
• Make victim whole by restoring lost benefits or
  opportunities
• Follow-up with victim to ensure resolution and no
  retaliation

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Consequences

• Employees found in violation of harassment
  policies shall be subject to disciplinary up to
  and including termination.
• Students found in violation of harassment
  policies shall be subject to disciplinary action
  up to and including expulsion.

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What you can do

• Familiarize yourself with District policies and
  complaint procedures
• Express your commitment and model a respectful
  work environment
• Participate in training to educate yourself
• Take harassment seriously--promptly report
  suspected harassment