Remember, harassment is not the student's fault. Every student has a right to an educational setting free of harassment. There are actions students can take to end the harassment.
- Tell the harasser in person or in writing that the behavior is not welcome. Ask them to stop. Be specific about actions or words that make the student uncomfortable.
- Tell someone else about the harassment, a trusted adult or friend.
- Keepa written record of the incidents of harassment, including notes of witnesses who might have observed the incident.
- If the harassment does not stop, report it to school administration. A parent or friend can accompany the student if support is desired.
- If the school does not take prompt action to stop and resolvethe complaint, file a complaint with an external agency like the Iowa Civil Rights Commission or the Iowa Department of Education.
For additional information on harassment or other issues regarding discrimination, you may also want to contact the Iowa Civil Rights Commission, the Iowa Department of Education, Iowa Pride Network, or the Iowa Safe Schools Taskforce.
Showing posts with label Bullying. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bullying. Show all posts
Friday, March 4, 2011
Thursday, March 3, 2011
What Do Schools Need to Do About Harassment?
An important part of a school's program is to take steps to prevent harassment before it occurs. An institution needs to raise the issue and confront harassment before it becomes a problem.
- Acknowledge the problem; don't deny that it could happen in your school.
- Provide training to administrators, staff, and students so that they understand and recognize prohibited behavior and how to report it.
- Administrators, teachers and adult staff should set a good example of professional behavior.
- Under Title IX, schools should have a policy prohibiting sexual harassment. Administrators, teachers and students must be informed of the policy.
- Under Title IX, schools must establish a grievance procedure that is adequate and suitable for dealing with sexual harassment complaints.
Once a harassment complaint has been filed, the school administration needs to take prompt remedial action.
- When a harassment complaint is filed, take it seriously. Assure the person that a prompt and confidential investigation will take place.
- Designate and train persons to investigate complaints. Sensitivity to the problem, sound professional judgment, and knowledge of legal standards of investigation are important.
- If the investigation shows that the harassment did happen, take prompt disciplinary action against the harasser.
- Acknowledge the problem; don't deny that it could happen in your school.
- Provide training to administrators, staff, and students so that they understand and recognize prohibited behavior and how to report it.
- Administrators, teachers and adult staff should set a good example of professional behavior.
- Under Title IX, schools should have a policy prohibiting sexual harassment. Administrators, teachers and students must be informed of the policy.
- Under Title IX, schools must establish a grievance procedure that is adequate and suitable for dealing with sexual harassment complaints.
Once a harassment complaint has been filed, the school administration needs to take prompt remedial action.
- When a harassment complaint is filed, take it seriously. Assure the person that a prompt and confidential investigation will take place.
- Designate and train persons to investigate complaints. Sensitivity to the problem, sound professional judgment, and knowledge of legal standards of investigation are important.
- If the investigation shows that the harassment did happen, take prompt disciplinary action against the harasser.
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
What Activities Constitute Harassment?
Harassment, which is not welcomed by the recipient, falls into into four types of behavior:
1. Physical: touching in a sexual manner, pinching, rubbing up against, gestures, assault.
2. Verbal: jokes of a racial, ethnic, or sexual nature; comments or questions about a person's body, dress, or personal life, using demeaning or inappropriate terms; using crude and offensive language of a sexual nature, name-calling or racial or ethnic slurs; demeaning comments about age, disability, or sexual orientation.
3. Visual: cartoons, drawings, or caricatures of a racial, ethnic, or sexual nature; pin-up pictures or calendars; displaying sexual objects in offices or rental units. Electronic messages or e-mail are frequently used for inappropriate personal messages, or to distribute jokes and cartoons that are offensive. Even after these messages are deleted on the computer, they can be retrieved to use as evidence of harassment.
4. Hazing: teasing, practical jokes of a sexual, racial or ethnic nature, ostracizing, starting or spreading rumorabout a person's personal life or sexual activities.
1. Physical: touching in a sexual manner, pinching, rubbing up against, gestures, assault.
2. Verbal: jokes of a racial, ethnic, or sexual nature; comments or questions about a person's body, dress, or personal life, using demeaning or inappropriate terms; using crude and offensive language of a sexual nature, name-calling or racial or ethnic slurs; demeaning comments about age, disability, or sexual orientation.
3. Visual: cartoons, drawings, or caricatures of a racial, ethnic, or sexual nature; pin-up pictures or calendars; displaying sexual objects in offices or rental units. Electronic messages or e-mail are frequently used for inappropriate personal messages, or to distribute jokes and cartoons that are offensive. Even after these messages are deleted on the computer, they can be retrieved to use as evidence of harassment.
4. Hazing: teasing, practical jokes of a sexual, racial or ethnic nature, ostracizing, starting or spreading rumorabout a person's personal life or sexual activities.
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
What is the Emotional Impact on Students Who Experience Harassment?
Students who have been harassed have reported the following feelings and actions:
- Not wanting to attend school; staying home, or cutting class
- Not wanting to talk as much in class
- Finding it hard to pay attention
- Making a lower grade on a test or in a class
- Wanting to change schools or even drop out
- Dropping out of chosen classes or field of study
- Not being able to obtain customary letters of reference or recommendations from a teacher
- Not wanting to attend school; staying home, or cutting class
- Not wanting to talk as much in class
- Finding it hard to pay attention
- Making a lower grade on a test or in a class
- Wanting to change schools or even drop out
- Dropping out of chosen classes or field of study
- Not being able to obtain customary letters of reference or recommendations from a teacher
Monday, February 28, 2011
Are There Protections Against Harassment in Schools?
Harassment in Education: It is Against the Law!
Harassment is illegal in all areas protected by Iowa Code Chapter 216. This includes education, employment, public accommodations, credit and housing.
Acts of harassment take place every day in schools across the country. Frequently these acts, even if reported to administration, are dismissed as harmless, as "kids will be kids," or as "no big deal." Many people do not realize that harassment that interferes with a person's educational progress is illegal, just as it is illegal in the workplace.
Harassment because of sex, race, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, and physical and mental disability is illegal. Both boys and girls can experience sexual harassment. And both girls and boys could be harassed by someone of the same sex.
Hallways and classrooms are the places where harassment most frequently takes place, in spite of the fact that these places are public and other people are usually present. Other places where harassment takes place include school grounds, the gymnasium, pool, locker rooms, restrooms, parking lots, school buses and on field trips. Four out of five students who are harassed are targeted by a current or former student of their school, with the remainder of the harassment coming from adults or school staff.
Harassment is illegal in all areas protected by Iowa Code Chapter 216. This includes education, employment, public accommodations, credit and housing.
Acts of harassment take place every day in schools across the country. Frequently these acts, even if reported to administration, are dismissed as harmless, as "kids will be kids," or as "no big deal." Many people do not realize that harassment that interferes with a person's educational progress is illegal, just as it is illegal in the workplace.
Harassment because of sex, race, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, and physical and mental disability is illegal. Both boys and girls can experience sexual harassment. And both girls and boys could be harassed by someone of the same sex.
Hallways and classrooms are the places where harassment most frequently takes place, in spite of the fact that these places are public and other people are usually present. Other places where harassment takes place include school grounds, the gymnasium, pool, locker rooms, restrooms, parking lots, school buses and on field trips. Four out of five students who are harassed are targeted by a current or former student of their school, with the remainder of the harassment coming from adults or school staff.
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
What Does the Iowa Safe Schools Law Prohibit?
Iowa Safe Schools Law
Effective September 1, 2007, Iowa Code Chapter 280 requires both public and private schools to establish policies prohibiting harassment and bullying against students by employers, schools volunteers, or other students. Students may now seek remedies under both Chapter 216 (Civil Rights Act) and Chapter 280.
What Does This Law Prohibit?
"Harassment" or "bullying" can e written, verbal, electronic, or physical conduct based on an actual or perceived trait or characteristic of the student which creates an objectively hostile school environment. "Hostile environment" means one or more of the following:
The safe schools law, unlike the Iowa Civil Rights Act, applies only to students, not to school employees.
Effective September 1, 2007, Iowa Code Chapter 280 requires both public and private schools to establish policies prohibiting harassment and bullying against students by employers, schools volunteers, or other students. Students may now seek remedies under both Chapter 216 (Civil Rights Act) and Chapter 280.
What Does This Law Prohibit?
"Harassment" or "bullying" can e written, verbal, electronic, or physical conduct based on an actual or perceived trait or characteristic of the student which creates an objectively hostile school environment. "Hostile environment" means one or more of the following:
- Conduct which places the student in reasonable fear of harm to the student's person or property
- Conduct which has a substantially detrimental effect on the student's physical or mental health
- Conduct which substantially interferes with a student's academic performance
- Conduct which substantially interferes with the student's ability to participate in or benefit from the services, activities, or privileges provided by a school
The safe schools law, unlike the Iowa Civil Rights Act, applies only to students, not to school employees.
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