It is the Board of Education’s desire to maintain and insure a learning environment free of any form of sexual harassment or intimidation.
The School District of River Valley shall not tolerate sexual harassment in any form and will take all necessary and appropriate action to eliminate it, up to and including discipline of offenders and referral to law enforcement agencies.
Sexual harassment includes, but is not limited to, the following:
a. Unwelcome or unwanted sexual advances. This means patting, pinching, brushing up against, hugging, cornering, kissing, fondling, or any other similar physical contact which is considered unacceptable by another or other individual(s).
b. Requests or demands for sexual favors. This includes subtle or blatant expectations, pressures, or requests for any type of sexual favor accompanied by an implied or stated promise of preferential treatment or negative consequence concerning one’s employment or educational status.
c. Verbal abuse or joking that is sexually oriented and considered unacceptable by another individual. This includes commenting about an individual’s body or appearance where such comments go beyond mere courtesy; telling “dirty jokes, that are clearly unwanted and considered offensive by others; or any other tasteless, sexually oriented comments, innuendoes, gestures or actions that offend others.
d. Engaging in any type of sexually oriented conduct that would interfere with another’s work or educational performance. This includes extending unwanted sexual attentions to someone such that personal productivity or time available to work at assigned tasks is reduced.
e. Creating a work or learning environment that is intimidating, hostile, or offensive because of unwelcome or unwanted sexually oriented conversation, suggestions, requests, demands, physical contacts, or attentions. Also, the existence or display of sexually suggestive or graphic materials including, but not limited to, photographs, magazines and posters.
f. Unwelcome verbal or physical conduct directed at another individual because of that individual’s gender, other than the conduct described above, that has the purpose of effect of creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive work or learning environment or has the purpose or effect of substantially interfering with that individual’s work or school performance.
Any student who believes he/she has been subjected to sexual harassment by another student or an employee should report the incident to the building principal. It is the intent of the District to create an atmosphere where complaints and alleged complaints will be treated fairly and quickly. If a student is not comfortable with making a complaint to the principal, the complaint may be made to any other adult employee. The employee will report the complaint to the appropriate person. All complaints will be recorded on the attached form. All complaints shall be investigated and acted upon in a timely manner, generally within 3 school days unless investigation requires more time. Students may appeal decisions regarding the complaint through appropriate administrative channels. Appeals beyond the District may be made in accordance with state and federal laws.
The identities of the parties involved shall be kept confidential to the extent possible.
No District employee, school board member, or student shall attempt to restrain, interfere with, coerce, discriminate or take reprisal action against the complainant or their witness during or after the presentation, processing, and resolution of a complaint.
LEGAL REF.: Wisconsin Stat. 118.13
120.13 (1)
111.32(13)
111.36
PI 9.04 Wisc. Admin. Code
Title IX Education Amendment of 1972
APPROVED: December 11, 1997
12/21/2004 pw