COLQUITT COUNTY BOARD POLICY GAEB: Sexual Harassment All persons associated with the Colquitt County School System including, but not limited to, the Board, the administration, the staff, and students are expected to conduct themselves at all times so as to provide an atmosphere free from sexual harassment. Any person in the above‐identified group who engages in sexual harassment while acting as a member of the school community will be in violation of this policy. THERE WILL BE ZERO TOLERANCE OF SEXUAL HARASSMENT. Any member of the school system who believes that he/she has been subjected to sexual harassment is to report the incident(s) to any school administrator. After the investigative procedure, the Superintendent or the Board of Education may impose appropriate sanctions, up to termination of employment, or for a student offender, expulsion from school. What is sexual harassment? Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature WHEN ‐ Submission to such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of an individual’s employment or Quid pro quo harassment: most well‐ defined but least common Vast majority of sexual harassment cases fall into this category Submission to or rejection of such conduct by an individual is used as the basis for employment decisions affecting the individual, (Example: A suggestion by a supervisor or teacher that sexual involvement with him/her would improve the employee’s chance for promotion or continued employment or the student’s chance for a good grade) or Such conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual’s work performance or creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working environment. What are some behaviors that could lead to a “hostile environment:” Behaviors that may qualify as sexual harassment can range from lewd remarks or gestures to persistent unwanted sexual attention, to jokes of a sexual nature to stalking and sexual assault. Repeated and gratuitous derogatory remarks about women or men, vulgar language, or embarrassing questions Repeated unwelcome sexual attention (comments, questions about an individual’s sexuality or sex life). Repeated and gratuitous comments by a staff member about the his or her own sex life and desires Repeated undesired physical contact, such as brushing up against someone. Consensual relationships require caution. Relationships that begin as consensual may end up being perceived as having been coerced and one party may then claim harassment. Harassment can occur between people of the same sex even though neither is sexually attracted to persons of the same sex. Sexual harassment on the job by a non‐employee, e.g. vendors, customers or visitors is NOT excusable behavior. The employer must protect staff against this type of behavior. To be harassment, the behavior must be unwanted or unwelcome, and questionable conduct is more likely to be harassment if it is repeated. Many who engage in offensive conduct stop when asked to stop. Everyone deserves to work in a respectful environment, and we must all do our part to STOP harassment. S Source T Target O Observer P Person in Authority The source (person performing the act) must examine his/her actions and stop those that are offensive to others. We need to make sure that our actions are actions that promote respect, not actions that destroy respect. All of us must care what we say and how we say it, before we say it. The target must help confront the harassment. If we are offended by others’ actions or words, we need to let them know and ask them to stop. The source of the disrespectful behavior may not even know that his or her behavior is offensive to us. Remaining silent may send the message that “I’m okay with this.” Those who observe disrespectful or harassing behavior have a responsibility to stop it when it occurs; and one who notices such is NEVER an innocent bystander! It is simply the right thing to do. Every person in authority has a duty to keep the workplace free from offensive and harassing behavior. We can expect our administrators to challenge disrespectful behavior when they witness it or are told about it, to seriously investigate reports of such behavior, to take action to build and maintain a respectful workplace, and to prevent any retaliation in the workplace. Sexual harassment is the most common form of harassment in the workplace. However, other types of harassment are equally acceptable with equally serious consequences. Examples of other types include: religion, race, sexual orientation, national origin, physical appearance, age, disability, political affiliation, pregnancy. Report harassing behavior immediately, even if it is not directed at you. Retaliation against reporters of harassment is prohibited. When in doubt about the appropriateness of particular behavior consider the following: Would I behave this same way if my parents, wife, husband or child were standing next to me? Would I want my behavior to be the subject of a report on the evening news? Would I want to describe my behavior in court in front of a judge or jury?