- Fort Smith School District
- Sexual Harassment & Discrimination (Title IX)
- Sexual Harassment & Discrimination (Title IX) for Students, Parents, and Staff
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Title IX for Students, Parents, and Staff
Title IX Grievance Procedures
Title IX
"No person in the United States shall, based on sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any educational program or activity receiving federal financial assistance." 20 U.S.C. § 1681
Title IX Inquiries and Complaints
Any person may report sex discrimination, including sexual harassment in person, by mail, by telephone, or by email to the Title IX Coordinator of by any other means that results in the Title IX Coordinator receiving an individual's verbal or written report. Reports may be made at any time, including during non-business hours.
Title IX Staff Obligations
What are staff obligations under Title IX?
- Train
- Investigate
- Stop
- Prevent
- Remedy
Title IX Includes:
- Program equity
- Sex/gender discrimination
- Sexual harassment
- Hostile work environment
- Retaliation
- Title IX applies to FSPS if sexual harassment occurs at any location, event, or circumstance over which the district exhibits substantial control over the alleged harasser and the context in which the harassment occurred. Where did it happen? When did it happen? How did it happen? Who was involved? Were school resources or property used?
Title IX Knowledge and Responses
- The district may be deemed to have actual knowledge of sexual harassment if any district employees have noticed or received allegations of sexual harassment.
- The best practice is to treat Title IX and sexual harassment just like mandated reporting for the purposes of child abuse/maltreatment.
- We must respond promptly to actual knowledge of sexual harassment in a manner that is not deliberately indifferent. Deliberately indifferent is a response that is clearly unreasonable in light of known circumstances.
- If you know or see something, you must say something.