The District of Columbia Public School 
User-Friendly Sexual Harassment/Harassment Policy1

The District of Columbia Public Schools is committed to making sure that all students can learn in an environment that is free from all forms of sexual harassment. Sexual harassment is against the law; it hurts people and has no place in our schools. Therefore, DCPS rules prohibit all forms of sexual harassment.

The following questions and answers help explain the school’s policy concerning sexual harassment of students.

Q: What is sexual harassment? 

A: Sexual harassment is unwelcome and unwanted sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, or other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature.  The behavior is considered to be sexual harassment if it interferes with the student’s school life, like if it’s bringing your grades down, making you unable to concentrate in your classes, or if it prevents you from enjoying school-related activities.  It can include a wide range of behavior, such as:
1.	Insults and name-calling, sexual gossip, spreading rumors or lies of a sexual nature about someone;
2.	Off-color jokes or displaying sexually suggestive objects or pictures or obscene graffiti;
3.	Intimidation by words or actions;
4.	Unwanted touching, such as pinching, patting, grabbing, poking, or rubbing against a student’s body;
5.	Pressure for sexual activity;
6.	Sexual assault and rape;
7.	Making a student’s participation in sexual conduct a condition of taking part in school activities or getting an education.

This list only illustrates some of the misconduct that could be sexual harassment; other similar behaviors also may be prohibited under the school’s policy and by the law, including criminal law.
The school’s policy ALSO prohibits retaliating against a student who complains about harassment or against students or others who cooperate in a school investigation of sexual harassment.  
Retaliation may include:
	(1) Threatening remarks or gestures made by the supposed harasser towards you because you made a complaint.
	(2) A teacher giving you bad grades because you made a sexual              	harassment complaint against them.
	(3) People making fun of you and saying you can’t take a joke after you’ve made a complaint. 

Q: What is harassment?               

A: Harassment is unwanted and unwelcome attention that is offensive to someone based on reasons that they may not control. It is harassment if someone is demeaned because of their race, religion, sex, age, marital status, personal appearance, (perceived) sexual orientation, family, responsibilities, political affiliation, or disability. Harassment creates an environment that limits a student from learning or engaging in school related functions. 
Harassment may include:
(1)	Making hateful remarks about a person’s place of birth or threatening them because they were not born in the U.S.
(2)	Imitating a person with a disability walking down the hall
(3)	Making fun of someone because you think they are lesbian, gay or bisexual, by drawing insulting graffiti about them. 

Q: Are these rules just for students?

A: No. The school policy applies to everyone: students, teachers, teaching assistants, administrators, coaches, volunteers, cafeteria workers, contractors, support staff, bus drivers, custodians, school board members, agents of the school, and all other visitors- all are prohibited from sexually harassing students. The school policy protects male and female students equally from harassment; even harassers of the same sex as the victim. 

Q: Where do the school’s rules apply? Just in classes? What happens if I’m harassed off school grounds, like on the bus?

A: If sexual harassment occurs when the school is responsible for the people involved, either on or off school premises, the school must take action to stop it. That means the school policy applies to the many locations sexual harassment can occur: classrooms, hallways, athletic fields, school offices, school buses, and on school sponsored trips and activities, for example. But it would not apply on the Metro during travel unrelated to school activity. 

Q: What should I do if I’ve been sexually harassed?

A: There are several options. You can complain, either in writing or by talking to any teacher, administrator, or counselor.  There is no limit to how long you wait from the last incident of sexual harassment to the time you file a formal complaint. If you don’t want to file a formal complaint, there are other ways to deal with harassment:

1)	Tell the harasser, “ Your behavior is bothering me. STOP IT!” Do this only if you feel comfortable talking directly to the harasser.
2)	Write the harasser a letter telling him or her how you feel.
3)	Tell your parents or guardian, who can work with you and school officials to stop the harassment.
4)	Get outside assistance, such as an attorney or an advocate to complain to the Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights. You can do this at any time while the school is investigating your complaint or you can do this instead of complaining to the school.

Q: What if I’m too embarrassed to tell anyone? Do I have to reveal my name?

A: No.  It is not required to include your name in the complaint, but not revealing it limits the results that will come out of the case and its final decision. It is recommended that you include as many of the following items as possible, to the best of your knowledge, but you don’t have to include all.
	(1) The name, grade, and school of the complainant;
	(2) The date, approximate time, and location of the incident;
	(3) The type of harassment that was committed;
(4) The identity of the person(s) who committed the acts of harassment;
(5) If the supposed harassment was towards other people, who those people are;
	(6) Whether any witnesses were present, and who they are
(7) A description of the incident that includes any physical contact or statements said. 

Q: I’m afraid to complain. What if everyone finds out what happened to me?

A: The school handles complaints confidentially, as much as possible. That means only school officials with a need to know about your complaint and the information in it can get the material. But, the school can’t guarantee complete confidentiality: it may be necessary to tell the person accused of harassment that a complaint has been filed against him or her, for instance.

Q: What happens in the complaint process?
A: The school investigates complaints.  The principal is 			
responsible for the processing of harassment and sexual harassment complaints. Within thirty (30) days after the complaint has been filed, the principal will make a finding about whether the school’s policy was violated, with the help of trained investigators that have been hired by the school and if so, what type of disciplinary action the person who committed the harassment will receive. If the student complaining or the accused harasser is not satisfied with the result of the school’s investigation, they can appeal to the Assistant Superintendent who is in charge of the school the student attends within ten (10) days after being informed of the principal’s conclusions. 

Q: What kind of discipline will persons who sexually harass students get?

A: Possible disciplinary actions the principal can take against persons found to have sexually harassed students will depend on the seriousness of the harassment.  In cases where sexual harassment has been found to occur, the harasser may get suspended from a minimum of eleven (11) days to a maximum of two (2) semesters. For very serious harassment, such as sexual touching or sexual assault, the principal may expel a harassing student, or fire a school employee. 

Q: How can I prevent sexual harassment and harassment?

A: Take a stand against harassment and for improving the school environment for everyone.  Don’t’ stand by if you see someone sexually harassing or harassing another student- SPEAK UP!!  Work with teachers and other students to develop strategies to stop harassment. Write articles for the school paper about it to increase student awareness. These are just some ideas; share other ideas with students, teachers, and administrators. Stopping sexual harassment and harassment means a better school for everyone.  

Sexual Harassment/Harassment: Myth and Reality

Myth: Most sexual harassment is really just harmless flirtation.
Reality: The difference between good-natured harmless fun and sexual harassment is how it makes the person feel.

Myth: People who complain that they are sexually harassed or harassed are people who can’t take a joke.
Reality: Sexual harassment and harassment are not funny. It does not matter if the offender thinks it is “just a joke”. What is important is how it makes the victim feel.

Myth: If you ignore sexual harassment and harassment it will stop.
Reality: No. Harassers will generally not stop until they are confronted. If you ignore such a behavior they will probably see it as agreement or encouragement. 

Myth: If you report sexual harassment, the school probably won’t do anything about it.  
Reality: If your school finds out that there has been sexual harassment, it has a legal obligation to stop it and make sure that it does not happen again. If they don’t do anything, they can be sued.				

Myth: Lesbians and gays can’t be sexual harassed.
Reality: Being gay or lesbian is not reason enough to prevent someone from being sexually harassed. In fact, a person may be harassed because of their perceived sexuality. In addition, a person’s sexuality is not always common knowledge: what other people think someone’s sexual orientation is could be false. Finally, every individual is capable of determining whether attention is unwanted or wanted.

Myth: Disabled people can’t be sexually harassed/ harassed.  
Reality: Disabled people are still able to recognize unwelcome behavior. Every individual is capable of determining whether attention is unwanted or wanted.   

Myth: Many students make up stories of sexual harassment and report it to cause problems and putting teachers and students in troubles.
Reality: Less than “one percent” of all complaints are false.