What is sexual harassment?
Sexual harassment is unwanted and unwelcome behavior of a sexual nature which interferes with a student’s right to learn, study, work, achieve, or participate in school activities in a comfortable and supportive atmosphere. Under federal and state laws and policies, sexual harassment is illegal and is prohibited in school settings.
Sexual harassment may involve a boy harassing a girl, a girl harassing a boy, a boy harassing another boy, or a girl harassing another girl. Harassment may be student to student, adult to student, or student to adult. As of 2006, sexual harassment includes website postings, instant messages, and e-mail messages that ridicule or humiliate another person.
What behaviors are not OK?
- It is not OK to grab, touch, or pinch the private body parts of another person.
- It is not OK to grab another person’s underwear or clothing to expose underwear or private body parts.
- It is not OK to say inappropriate (silly or nasty) things about someone’s, or your own, private body parts.
- It is not OK to make fun of someone’s gender.
- It is not OK to start or spread rumors about someone’s private body parts, gender, or private behavior.
- It is not OK to give an unwanted kiss or hug or to dare someone else to do so.
- It is not OK to brush up against someone in a way that could be considered sexual.
- It is not OK to pass sexual notes, pictures, jokes, or cartoons, including over the Internet.
- It is not OK to make sexual gestures.
It is NOT tattling to report sexual harassment!
What are my responsibilities and rights related to sexual harassment? Students are legally protected against sexual harassment and sex discrimination by Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, a federal law prohibiting discrimination in schools on the basis of sex. Sex discrimination is also covered under Connecticut state law.
You have the right to participate in all school and classroom activities in an atmosphere free from sexual harassment.
You also have a responsibility NOT to engage in behaviors that are unwelcome or offensive to others.
What should I do if I believe I am being sexually harassed? Ignoring sexual harassment is not a way to stop it!
Tell your parent, teacher, principal, counselor, or school social worker.
Whenever possible, tell the harasser to stop doing what he or she is doing.
Write down: date, time, place, and witnesses.
Print email messages or internet postings and show them to an adult.
How do I know when sexual harassment may be occurring?
Am I being harassed?
Am I harassing someone?
Ask yourself the following questions:
- Is the behavior of a sexual nature?
- Does the behavior make you or another person feel uncomfortable?
- Does the behavior interfere with anyone’s ability to learn or to enjoy school or classroom activities?
- Does the behavior involve one person trying to have some kind of power over another person?
- Is the behavior part of a repeated pattern?
- Would you want this behavior to be directed toward a member of your family or a friend?
Where can my family get additional information?
School District Title IX Coordinator
Joan Reiskin
Canton High School
(860) 693-7707
jreiskin@cantonschools.org
Persons in CBPS designated to handle sexual harassment complaints
Andrew Robbin, Principal
arobbin@cantonschools.org
Brigitte Duffy, Guidance Counselor
bduffy@cantonschools.org
State Agencies
Gender Equity Consultant
CT State Department of Education
(860) 713-6542
http://www.state.ct.us/sde/equity/titleIX/index.htm
Office for Civil Rights
U.S. Department of Education
(617) 223-9662
http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/index.html
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