Sexual Harrassment Training Sylvia Harper Director of Personnel Mountain Brook Board of Education

1. Sexual Harrassment TrainingSylvia HarperDirector of PersonnelMountain Brook Board of Education

2. Harassment Harassment of any kind is behavior that might make someone feel • Bothered • Irritated • Bad about themselves • Annoyed • Embarrassed

3. Sexual harassment Sexual harassment is harassment of a sexual nature. Disrespectful or offensive sexual behavior, including “jokes,” toward other employees, students, or anyone else we come across at work. This sexual behavior annoys, irritates and embarrasses our co-workers. Can occur between employees, students, and employees and students.

4. Responsibilities of employees • Don’t harass coworkers. • Report harassment or suspected harassment to your supervisor/principal or to • Sylvia Harper • 871-4608 • Report if you believe you have been a victim or if you believe you have seen harassment of other employees.

5. Retaliation The school system will not tolerate any retaliation (revenge) against any employee who reports sexual harassment. Employees need to report any behavior they believe is retaliation against them for reporting harassment.

6. Men and women Sexual harassment is common in all occupations and professions, educational backgrounds, age, racial and ethnic groups, and income levels. Mostly men harassing females, but…all combinations are possible, such as a female harassing a male or a female harassing another female, etc.

7. Illegal! Sexual harassment is illegal, it is harmful to the victim and it can lead to harsh consequences for offenders. Abuse of authority. Employees deserve a workplace free of sexual harassment.

8. Behavior Sexual harassment is behavior, and adults are responsible for their own behavior and its consequences. We each have the responsibility to treat others with respect, know what harassment is, and avoid it.

9. Serious stuff Many people have lost their jobs, faced disciplinary actions and ruined their careers over sexual harassment.

10. Risky verbal behavior The following behaviors may contribute to creating a hostile environment : comments of a sexual nature or based on gender comments about clothing, personal behavior, or a person's body sexual or gender-based jokes or teasing requests for sexual favors or for dates references to an adult as "girl" or "boy," "doll" or "hunk" sexual stories talk about sex life descriptions of pornography Obscene or vulgar phone calls or emails lies or rumors about a person's personal or sex life "honey," "dear," "sweetheart," "babe"

11. Non-verbal staring looking up and down (elevator eyes) making derogatory gestures of a sexual nature giving sexually suggestive looks making facial expressions of a sexual nature; winking…

12. Physical leaning over, invading a person's space inappropriately touching a person or person's clothing "accidentally" brushing sexual parts of the body indecent exposure, mooning or flashing blocking someone's path with the purpose of making a sexual advance uninvited neck massaging deliberately touching sexually, or brushing up against, or pinching pressing or rubbing up against a person stalking grabbing kissing, hugging, patting, stroking actual or attempted sexual assault

13. Visual posters, cartoons, drawings, calendars, pinups and pictures of a sexual nature electronic bulletin boards/computer graphics of a sexual nature inappropriate, sexually expressive or revealing clothing knick-knacks and other objects of a sexual nature

14. Janet While at work, Janet frequently makes personal phone calls to her friends. Her conversations are loud and have a lot sexually explicit language. Her co-workers cannot help but overhear her conversations. TRUE OR FALSE?: Janet's behavior is not sexual harassment because she is not talking to a co-worker, but is talking to a friend on the phone.

15. False Harassment in the workplace does not have to be directed at a particular individual. Janet's co-workers may find her behavior offensive, unwelcome and contributing to a hostile work environment, even though she is not speaking directly to them.

16. Types of Harassment Third Party Harassment An example of third party harassment may include direct (or telephone) conversations about sex in the hearing range of others to whom it is unwelcome. Such behavior must be stopped if others request it or if management becomes aware of the behavior

17. Joking Joe Joe frequently tells sexually-explicit jokes during team meetings. Co-workers are offended. They don't think Joe's jokes are so funny. True or False? Joe's behavior is not at risk because the jokes are all in fun and are not intended to sexually harass anyone.

18. A Matter of Respect Humor - A Risky Behavior? Most of us love a good laugh. Humor can relieve tension and energize, but teasing and sarcasm are high-risk ways of communicating. Does this mean that all fun is out of order on school grounds? Absolutely not, but if the fun is at the expense of another person or persons, it is risky. "It was just a joke" is not an excuse for sexual harassment

19. John John, a faculty member, keeps asking Joan, another faculty member, out to dinner, even though she turns him down each and every time he requests a date. Joan has told him several times to stop asking. TRUE OR FALSE? John's behavior is not sexual harassment, because sexual harassment can only occur between a male boss and a female worker he supervises.

20. Types of Harassment Peer to Peer Harassment Sexual harassment often involves persons of unequal authority, but it can occur among students or faculty; between employees of equal rank; and among other peers. Peer to peer harassment is often not difficult to stop. A direct and clear request to the offender to stop the behavior is often effective. If the request to the offender does not stop the behavior, the next step is to ask a supervisor or other administrator to intervene. Once asked, the official is obligated as the agent of Mountain Brook Schools to take appropriate action. Types of Harassment Subordinate Harassment of a Supervisor It is possible for a subordinate to harass a supervisor or a student to harass an instructor, although this is not very common. It may occur when the offender is particularly intimidating or if the victim is unable to exert the authority of his or her position. This type of harassment must be taken just as seriously as any other. If the behavior continues after requesting the offender to stop, the target of the harassment must seek help from a higher level of management.

21. Mitchell and Rhonda Mitchell has a habit of leaning in close to Rhonda and brushing his hand against her legs when they are working at a table and brushes his hand on her rear end when they are passing in the hall. Rachel has brushed him away and asked him to stop several times, but Mitchell continues to annoy her. True or False? Mitchell’s touching of Rhonda is considered Sexual Harassment even though he doesn’t really like her, but is only trying to annoy her.

22. Risky Behaviors - Touching Many people touch others in the normal course of life and work, but unwanted touching can be offensive and uncomfortable to others. This is especially important to know for people who are accustomed to touching others. The best policy is always to avoid touching someone else unless you are absolutely sure it is welcome.

23. Risky Behavior Sexual harassment can be mild or severe or in between. The behavior may range from a inappropriate joke to physical assault. Whether a particular behavior is defined as sexual harassment depends mostly on whether the behavior is UNWELCOME to the target.

24. Welcome or Unwelcome? Here are some questions to see if you can tell the difference: Which of the following behaviors could be perceived as unwelcome? 1. When meeting a person for the first time, holding the handshake a little longer than normal.Welcome, Unwelcome, Depends?2. Standing behind someone seated at a computer and putting your hand on his/her shoulder.Welcome, Unwelcome, Depends?3. Staring at someone's body rather than looking him/her in the eye while talking.Welcome, Unwelcome, Depends?4. Looking someone up and down when meeting.Welcome, Unwelcome, Depends?5. Making remarks about someone's body (either the person you are talking with or a third person's) during conversation.Welcome, Unwelcome, Depends?

25. Unwelcomeness: What Does It Mean? • Unwelcome behavior is unasked for, unwanted, offensive behavior that is NOT welcome. • How can you know in advance if a behavior is unwelcome? • Here are some general guidelines to avoid committing unwelcome behavior: • respect the people around you, • think before acting, • imagine how other people might be feeling, • keep your hands to yourself • exercise common courtesy, and • think twice before making a joke (any joke).

26. Unwelcomeness: What Does It Mean? • Some questions to ask yourself are: • Would my spouse, parent, child, sibling or friend like to be treated this way? • Would I like my behavior published in the district newsletter? • Could my behavior offend or hurt members of my family or other members of the school district? • Could someone misinterpret my behavior as intentionally harmful or harassing? • If you are unsure if something might be welcome, don't do it. There is no risk in not doing something.

27. “I was just kidding around…” Probably the most common excuse given for risky or harassing behavior. But: What is harmless joking to one person may be offensive to another.

28. Sex, sex talk, sex jokes The bottom line: Best thing to do: Keep this away from work!

29. What Do I do if Someone Harasses Me??? Tell them to stop doing the behavior. Be specific. Tell them to stop staring at you, stop touching you or stop telling offensive jokes, etc.

30. What to do if…. 1. If the behavior continues, document the conversation or offending behavior. 2. Follow Mountain Brook Schools' complaint procedures. • Tell supervisor/principal and expect supervisor to tell Central Office. • Report directly to Central Office: Sylvia Harper or Mr. Barlow at 871-4608.