Equal Educational Opportunity and Sexual Harassment

The Edmonds School District is committed to maintaining a working and learning environment free of discrimination and harassment. District educational programs, activities, curriculum and services are monitored to insure that 1) they guarantee the rights of all students to partake fully in the educational process, and 2) they do not reinforce stereotypes, or permit or encourage discriminatory behavior. If any student, parent or community member experiences or witnesses discrimination or harassment, they are encouraged to report it immediately to any school administrator with whom they feel comfortable. Reports of such incidents may also be reported to the district Equity Officer, Debby Carter, 425 431-7012. All such complaints will be promptly investigated and, where appropriate, immediate corrective action will be taken. To the highest degree possible, allowing for a fair investigation, all such complaints will be treated in a confidential manner. The District prohibits retaliation against any employee, volunteer, parent, or student because he or she has made a report of alleged sexual harassment, or against any employee, volunteer, parent, or student, who has testified, assisted or participated in the investigation of a report. Retaliation includes, but is not limited to, any form of intimidation, reprisal, or adverse pressure. Retaliation is itself a violation of law and will lead to disciplinary action against the offender. Persons who knowingly report false allegations of sexual harassment or corroborate false allegations of sexual harassment will be subject to appropriate discipline or other sanctions. Any District staff member (regardless of area of responsibility) who knows or has reason to believe that sexual harassment is or may be occurring must take immediate steps to see that the matter is addressed or reported. Such action must be taken whether or not the student(s), volunteer, or parent has reported the incident.

Sexual harassment is legally defined as unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature in which:

• Submission to such conduct or communication is made either an explicit or implicit term or condition of success in school;

• Submission to or rejection of such conduct or communication is used as a basis for educational decisions affecting that person; or

• Such conduct or communication has the purpose or effect of substantially or unreasonably interfering with the individual's school performance, or of creating an intimidating hostile, or offensive educational environment.

An "intimidating, hostile or offensive educational environment" means an environment in which:

• Unwelcome racially or sexually-oriented jokes, innuendos, obscenities, pictures/posters or any action with sexual connotation makes a student feel uncomfortable; or

• Any aggressive, harassing behavior in the school that affects learning, whether or not sexual in connotation, is directed toward an individual based on his/her sex or sexual orientation.

Sexual harassment includes, but is not limited to, the following behaviors:

• Insulting or degrading sexual remarks, written material, or conduct directed to a student or staff member;

• Threats, demands, or suggestions that a person’s status is contingent upon his/her tolerance or acquiescence to advances;

• Cornering or blocking of normal movements;

• Displaying sexually suggestive pictures or objects in an educational/work environment;

• Unwelcome sexual advances or requests for sexual favors, leering or staring, sexual flirtation or propositions, sexual slurs, epithets, threats, verbal abuse, derogatory comments or sexually degrading descriptions, verbal comments about an individual’s body, overly personal conversation of a sexual nature, sexual jokes, stories, drawings, pictures or gestures, spreading of sexual rumors, touching of an individual’s body or clothes in a sexual way.

For more information, see Edmonds district policy #8206.