Sexual Harassment Policy and Complaint Procedures
SEXUAL HARASSMENT POLICY NOTICE
The Greenfield Union School District is committed to maintaining a safe workplace and learning environment that is free of sexual harassment and retaliation. The Board of Education prohibits sexual harassment of students, job applicants, employees, contractors, or any other individuals including but not limited to parents and vendors. The Board also prohibits retaliatory behavior or action against persons who complain, testify, assist or otherwise participate in investigations of complaints regarding sexual harassment. Sexual harassment may, in certain circumstances, be a violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 as amended, and/or Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, as well as California law. All persons including applicants, employees, students, and independent contractors are protected under this policy.
The Greenfield Union School District takes allegations of sexual harassment seriously and will not condone, permit, or tolerate sexual harassment of students or employees in any manner whatsoever. Persons engaging in such harassment shall be subject to discipline up to and including termination or expulsion.
Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal, visual, or physical conduct of a sexual nature constitute sexual harassment when:
Submission to the conduct is explicitly or implicitly made a term or condition of an individual’s employment, academic status, or progress.
- Submission to or rejection of the conduct by an individual is used as the basis for academic or employment decisions affecting the individual.
- The conduct has the purpose or effect of having a negative impact on the individual’s academic or work performance, or of creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive educational or work environment.
- Submission to or rejection of the conduct by the individual is used as the basis for any decision affecting the individual regarding benefits and services, honors, programs, or activities available at or through the school.
Other types of conduct that are prohibited in the District and which may constitute sexual harassment include:
- Unwelcome sexual flirtation or propositions.
- Verbal abuse of a sexual nature.
- Graphic verbal comments about an individual’s body.
- Sexually degrading words used to describe an individual.
- Display of sexually suggestive objects or pictures in the educational environment.
- Any act of retaliation against an individual who reports a violation of the District’s sexual harassment policy or who participates in the investigation of a sexual harassment complaint.
What is sex discrimination or sexual harassment under Title IX?
Sexual harassment means any unwelcome sexual advance, request for sexual favors, and other verbal, visual, or physical conduct of a sexual nature, made by someone in the educational setting. Examples include:- Unwelcome leering, sexual flirtations, or propositions;
- Unwelcome sexual slurs, epithets, threats, verbal abuse, derogatory comments, or sexually degrading descriptions;
- Graphic verbal comments about an individual’s body or overly personal conversation;
- Sexual jokes, derogatory posters, notes, stories, cartoons, drawings, pictures, obscene gestures, or computer-generated images of a sexual nature;
- Spreading sexual rumors;
- Teasing or sexual remarks about students enrolled in a predominantly single-sex class;
- Massaging, grabbing, fondling, stroking, or brushing the body;
- Unsolicited touching of an individual’s body or clothes in a sexual way;
- Impeding or blocking movements or any physical interference with school activities when directed at an individual on the basis of sex;
- Displaying sexually suggestive objects;
- Sexual assault, sexual battery, or sexual coercion; and
- Electronic communications containing sexual comments, words, or images.
How to File a Sexual Harassment/Discrimination Complaint
Who can report?
Anyone can report sex discrimination or sexual harassment to the Title IX Coordinator or to someone with authority to take corrective action. Reports can be made in person, by mail, telephone or by emailing the Title IX Coordinator and can be made at any time using the contact information below. If a report is made, the District will inform the alleged target of the complaint process and supports available. The district has designated and authorized the following employee as the district's Title IX Coordinator to address concerns or inquiries regarding discrimination on the basis of sex, including sexual harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking:
How to file a complaint:
A target of sex discrimination or sexual harassment, their representative (a parent/caregiver, duly-authorized individual) or the Title IX Coordinator can file a formal written and signed complaint to request a Title IX investigation. A site administrator or department director can assist. Formal complaint forms are located on the GFUSD website, www.gfusd.net, or by visiting the GFUSD District Office at 1624 Fairview Rd—paper/hard copies available.
For more information about the district/schools' responsibilities under Title IX, please visit:
California Office of Equal Opportunity
United States Department of Education Office of Civil Rights
More information regarding Sexual Harassment can be found in Greenfield Union School District Policy and Administrative Regulation below: