Sexual Harassment

1. Sexual Harassment

2. Purpose of Training: Make the district a safe place for students & employees • Identify sexual harassment • Intervene to prevent or prohibit sexual harassment in the workplace • Investigate suspected or reported incidents of sexual harassment • Implement SAISD’s Zero Tolerance Policy prohibiting sexual harassment

3. Sexual Harassment Quiz • Pinching, patting or verbally teasing a co-worker is harmless. • False • If a person remains in a job after having been sexually harassed, he/she must be enjoying the situation. • False • Sexual harassment is not teasing and horseplay. • False • If no touching occurs, there is no sexual harassment. • False • If everyone laughs at dirty jokes, telling them is not sexual harassment. • False • You don’t have to deal with student to student harassment because that’s just the way kids are.. • False • Sexual harassment can occur between two people of the same sex. • True

4. What is Sexual Harassment? • Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, or other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature that is made a term or condition of an individual’s employment. • Quid Pro Quo: • Submission to or rejection of such conduct is used as the basis for decisions affecting an individual’s employment • Hostile Work Environment: • Creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working environment.

5. Examples of Quid Pro Quo • Supervisor promises something – a job, a raise, a promotion, better benefits, better evaluations or grades - in exchange for: • A date; • A relationship; and/or • Promise of a more “personal” relationship, spending time together, etc.

6. Examples of Hostile Work Environment • A hostile environment is created when unwelcome sexual advances, requests, or conduct have the effect of interfering with an individual’s performance or creating an intimidating, hostile, or otherwise offensive learning or working environment, such as • Negative stereotyping • Sexually oriented calendars, magazines or jokes • Abusive, vulgar or crude language • References to sexual activity • Overt sexual conduct by fellow workers • Comments about a person’s appearance or dress

7. Other Prohibited Harassment • SAISD prohibits harassment based on race, color, gender, national origin, disability, religion or age. • Includes physical, verbal or nonverbal conduct that is directed toward a student or employee • Includes conduct that • affects the ability of the student or employee to participate in an educational program or activity • creates an intimidating, threatening, hostile, or offensive educational/work environment • Interferes with a student’s academic performance or employee’s work performance • Otherwise adversely affects a student’s educational opportunities or employee’s work opportunities

8. The following should be considered sexual harassment: • Direct or indirect threats or bribes for unwanted sexual activity (grades, jobs, salary, etc.) • Sexual innuendos and comments • Intrusive sexually explicit questions • Sexually suggestive sounds or gestures • Unwanted sexual flirtation or repeated and unwelcome requests for dates / relationships with another employee

9. The following should be considered sexual harassment: (Cont’d) • Touching, patting, pinching, stroking, squeezing, tickling or brushing against a person • A neck or shoulder massage • Sexual ridicule • Frequent jokes about sex or males / females • Pervasive displays of pictures, calendars, cartoons or other materials with sexually explicit or graphic content

10. Employee to Employee Sexual Harassment Scenario A female adult alleges that while in the teachers’ lounge during a break, a male adult entered. While she was bending over at the soda machine, the male made a moaning sound, “Um-Um-Um.” He then brushed by her on his way out the door. The next time he sees her in the lounge, he gives her money and asks her to buy a soda for him at the soda machine. Every time he sees her in the hallway, he asks her, “Where’s my soda?” • Is this harassment? Explain.

11. Who can be Involved in Sexual Harassment? • Student to Student • Engaging in sexually oriented conversations with another student • Making comments about a student’s body parts or telling them that they look “sexy” • Making suggestive gestures or sounds, winking, leers and stares • Touching another student in a way that makes him/her feel uncomfortable

12. Who can be Involved in Sexual Harassment? (Cont’d) • Employee to Student • Engaging in sexually oriented conversations with students • Phoning students at home to solicit inappropriate social relationships • Making comments about a student’s body parts or telling them that they look “sexy” • Dating • Enticing a student to engage in sexual behavior in exchange for good grades or personal gratification or threatening a student who is unresponsive • Making suggestive gestures or sounds, winking, leers and stares • Touching students in a way that makes them feel uncomfortable

13. Who Can be Involved in Sexual Harassment? (Cont’d) • Employee to Student • Soliciting or engaging in a romantic relationship with a student or minor. • Acts taken into consideration include: • behavior, gestures, expressions or communications unrelated to the educator’s job duties encouraging the student to form an ardent or exclusive emotional attachment to the educator. • TEA will consider the following • Nature, timing and extent of the communications • Whether the communications were open or secret • Extent the educator attempts to conceal the communications

14. Student to Student Sexual Harassment Scenario Two students are drawing sexually explicit pictures and passing them around. • Can this be considered harassment? Explain. Scenario Two students are spreading rumors about another student’s sexual behavior. • Can this be considered harassment? Explain.

15. Employee to Student Sexual Harassment Scenario A female student alleged that she went to the teacher’s desk to ask him about her grades. While the teacher was showing the student her grades, the student alleged that the teacher looked at her chest and placed his hand on her wrist. • Can this be considered harassment? Explain. Scenario A student confides in his coach about problems he is having at home. His coach confides in him about problems she is having with her boyfriend. They text each other about how the other is doing. When they see each other at school, they exchange a hug and talk about personal problems. • Can this be considered soliciting or engaging in a romantic relationship with a student or minor? Explain.

16. Physical and Emotional Effects of Sexual Harassment Look out for signs of sexual harassment • Trouble sleeping • Loss of appetite • Decreased participation in class • Thinks or talks about changing teachers, classes, or schools • Avoids teacher, class, or classmates • Skips class • Sudden drop in grades • Uncharacteristic shyness

17. Preventing an Accusation • Educate yourself. Learn what is inappropriate behavior for the workplace. • Be sensitive and perceptive when interacting with others. • Keep all actions job-related. Dirty jokes are never job-related, nor is flirting. • Avoid inappropriate or unprofessional relationships. • Try to never be alone with a student.

18. Handling a Sexual Harassment Complaint • Take the report seriously • Listen, don’t judge • Do not delay • Respond to concerns • Document • Follow up on the complaint • Avoid using dangerous words • It’s just teasing – no big deal. • I know that isn’t what they meant. • Its your fault for dressing so provocatively. • You need to learn how to handle these things. • Just ignore it.

19. Victim Responsibility • How to Respond? • Know your rights. Look at Board policy. • Educate yourself regarding the procedures for reporting sexual harassment. • Inappropriate behavior should be reported regardless of the intent of the perpetrator. • Practice saying, “Stop, I don’t like what you are [saying, doing, etc.].” Then be direct and candid with the person. Let your feelings be known and let them be known right away. • Say “no” clearly when behavior is unwelcome. • When a person says “no”, take “no” for an answer.

20. Victim Responsibility (Cont’d) • How to Respond? • Do not become involved with sexually oriented banter, jokes, stories, etc. • Conduct yourself in a professional manner at all times in the workplace • Record offensive behavior (dates, time, locations, witnesses, nature of offense, etc.) • Report the conduct to the proper authorities. If at all possible, the report should be in writing. List what happened, when, and who were the witnesses.

21. Reporting Sexual Harassment Reporting Requirements Involving Employees • Employees must inform their supervisor and/or Toni Thompson, Associate Superintendent of Human Resources at 554-8450 • The employee and supervisor/administrator may work with the alleged harasser toward an informal resolution to stop offensive behavior Reporting Requirements Involving Students • Report immediately to campus principal or the Title IX Coordinator, Anita Chavera, Director of Guidance and Counseling at 223-1506 • If child abuse is suspected, an employee must report the suspicion to Child Protective Services at 1-800-252-5400 within 48 hours in addition to notifying the principal

22. “Zero Tolerance” Policy Prohibiting Sexual Harassment • Students and staff are required to report all known or suspected instances of harassment or abuse to appropriate district administrators. • School officials who have the authority to take corrective action must do so once learning of sexual harassment or abuse. • Employees and students who engage in sexual harassment are subject to immediate disciplinary measures. • Retaliation for reporting sexual harassment is prohibited and may be grounds for dismissal.

23. √ Yourself & Think Smart! • Ask yourself the following questions before speaking: • Would I say this in front of my mother? • Would I want my spouse to hear such a comment made to him/her? • Would I make the same comment on the evening news? √ Yourself & Think Smart!