What Is Harassment

Harassment is a problem in our society and affects our schools.  It surfaces as inappropriate visual, verbal, and physical conduct. Harassment is without gender, it can conduct directed from a male to female, female to male, male to male, or female to female.

Harassment may be on the basis, but not limited to race, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, or disability.  For the school committee policy on harassment, please see page 4 of the online policy manual (PDF).

What is Sexual Harassment?

Sexual harassment is unwanted attention directed toward a person because of his or her gender. Sexual harassment includes the following unwelcome actions:

• Whistling, catcalls, or offensive noises
• Stares or obscene gestures
• Suggestive remarks, jokes about a person's appearance or derogatory sexual terms
• Displaying offensive photographs, illustrations, or sex-related objects
• Blocking a person's movements
• Touching, brushing, pinching, or patting
• Pulling or lifting clothing
• Pressure for dates, sex, or information about personal sexual experiences.
• What do you do if you believe you are a victim of harassment

Individuals who believe they are the object of sexual or other kinds of harassment should report the conduct to appropriate staff. All reports of harassment will be investigated promptly and in as impartial and confidential manner as possible.

What Happens

The school district takes any complaint of harassment seriously. When any complaint of harassment occurs, it results in certain procedures. The school district will not tolerate any retaliation toward a complainant or any witness. Any such conduct should be reported immediately.

Your Rights as the Harassed

No individual will be subject to any form of coercion, intimidation, retaliation, interference, or discrimination for filing a report of harassment. However, blatantly false accounts will not be tolerated.

When reporting the incident you have the following right to:

• have someone of your choice present with you throughout the complaint process
• refuse confrontation with the alleged harasser at this time
• be listened to and taken seriously
• stop the interview and take your complaint to another authority if you believe your complaint is being handled inappropriately.

When reporting the incident, you can expect the following:

• Your complaint will be taken seriously and investigated
• every effort will be made to handle the complaint discreetly and with as much confidentiality as possible
• in certain circumstances, it may be necessary for your name to be provided to the alleged harasser (this will be discussed with you first)
• the investigation will begin immediately and proceed in a timely manner
• you will be informed as to the progress of the investigation

Rights of the Accused

When receiving a complaint against you with respect to harassment, you have a right to:

• have someone of your choice present
• be given specifics of the allegations
• be given the opportunity to respond

You can expect the following

• The investigation will begin immediately and proceed in a timely manner
• You will be informed as to the progress of the investigations that retaliation in any form with respect to the complaint will result in severe disciplinary action if warranted, remedial steps will be taken which could include suspension and/or expulsion
• If warranted, the complaint and the remedial steps will become part of your school personnel file.
• Remember, harassment in any form will not be tolerated, it is the law.

Updated December 15, 2008