4119.11 BP - Sexual Harassment

Personnel
Board Policy No.  4119.11/4219.11/4319.11
Policy Revised: November 2, 2023


Sexual Harassment

The following policy shall apply to all district employees, interns, volunteers, contractors, job applicants, and other persons with an employment relationship with the district.

The Governing Board is committed to providing a safe work environment that is free of harassment and intimidation. The Board prohibits sexual harassment against district employees and retaliatory behavior or action against any person who complains, testifies, or otherwise participates in the complaint process established for the purpose of this policy.

Sexual harassment includes, but is not limited to, harassment that is based on the sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, or sexual orientation of the victim and harassment based on pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions.

The Superintendent or designee shall take all actions necessary to ensure the prevention, investigation and correction of sexual harassment, including but not limited to:

1. Providing training to employees in accordance with law and administrative regulation.
2. Publicizing and disseminating the district’s sexual harassment policy to staff and other to whom the policy may apply.
3. Ensuring prompt, thorough and fair investigation of complaints.
4. Taking timely and appropriate corrective/remedial action(s), which may require interim separation of the complainant and the alleged harasser, and subsequent monitoring of developments.
 
The Superintendent or designee shall periodically evaluate the effectiveness of the district's strategies to prevent and address harassment. Such evaluation may involve conducting regular anonymous employee surveys to assess whether harassment is occurring or is perceived to be tolerated, partnering with researchers or other agencies with the needed expertise to evaluate the district's prevention strategies, and using any other effective tool for receiving feedback on systems and/or processes. As necessary, changes shall be made to the harassment policy, complaint procedures, or training.

Sexual Harassment Reports and Complaints

District employees who feel that they have been sexually harassed in the performance of their district responsibilities or who have knowledge of any incident of sexual harassment by or against another employee shall immediately report the incident to their direct supervisor, a district administrator, or the district's Title IX Coordinator. Employees may bypass their supervisor in filing a complaint if the supervisor is the subject of the complaint. A supervisor or administrator who receives a harassment complaint shall promptly notify the Title IX Coordinator.

Once notified, the Title IX Coordinator shall ensure the complaint or allegation is addressed 
through AR 4119.12/4219.12/4319.12 - Title IX Sexual Harassment Complaint Procedures or AR 4030 - Nondiscrimination in Employment, as applicable. Because a complaint or allegation that is dismissed or denied under the Title IX complaint procedure may still be subject to consideration under state law, the Title IX Coordinator shall ensure that any implementation of AR 4119.12/4219.12/4319.12 concurrently meets the requirements of AR 4030. The Title IX Coordinator shall offer supportive measures to the complainant and respondent, as deemed appropriate under the circumstances.

Upon investigation of a sexual harassment complaint, any district employee found to have engaged or participated in sexual harassment or to have aided, abetted, incited, compelled, or coerced another to commit sexual harassment in violation of this policy shall be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal, in accordance with law and the applicable collective bargaining agreement.

Legal Reference:
EDUCATION CODE
200-262.4 Prohibition of discrimination on the basis of sex
GOVERNMENT CODE
12900-12996 Fair Employment and Housing Act, especially:
12940 Prohibited discrimination
12950.1 Sexual harassment training
LABOR CODE
1101 Political activities of employees

1102.1 Discrimination: sexual orientation
CODE OF REGULATIONS, TITLE 2
7287.8 Retaliation
88.0 Sexual harassment training and education
CODE OF REGULATIONS, TITLE 5
4900-4965 Nondiscrimination in elementary and secondary education programs receiving state
financial assistance
UNITED STATES CODE, TITLE 42

2000d-2000d-7 Title VI, Civil Rights Act of 1964
2000e-2000e-17 Title VII, Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended
2000h-2-2000h-6 Title IX, 1972 Education Act Amendments
CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS, TITLE 34
106.9 Dissemination of policy
COURT DECISIONS
Department of Health Services v. Superior Court of California, (2003) Cal.4th 1026
Faragher v. City of Boca Raton, (1998) 118 S.Ct. 2275
Burlington Industries v. Ellreth, (1998) 118 S.Ct. 2257
Gebser v. Lago Vista Independent School District, (1998) 118 S.Ct. 1989
Oncale v. Sundowner Offshore Serv. Inc., (1998) 118 S.Ct. 998
Meritor Savings Bank, FSB v. Vinson et al., (1986) 447 U.S. 57
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