8.0 - 8.1 Discrimination, Harassment

The technology center is committed to providing all students and employees with a safe and respectful school environment. Both state and federal law specifically prohibit harassment of or by employees and students in connection with the district.

The district prohibits discrimination, harassment or retaliation based on real or perceived race, color, sex, pregnancy, gender, gender identity or expression, national origin, religion, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, age, or genetic information. This prohibition applies to students, employees, and board members in any aspect of the district’s programs, including during school hours, if the conduct affects the education or working environment.

“Employee” for purposes of this policy, includes all technology center employees, board members and volunteers.

“Student” refers to any person who is enrolled in any program or any individual enrolled in a client-based program.

“Discrimination” means unfair treatment which is based on a person’s real or perceived race, color, sex, pregnancy, gender, gender identity or expression, national origin, religion, disability veteran status, sexual orientation, age, or genetic information.

Examples of discrimination include but are not limited to refusing to consider a person for a position or declining to enroll a student in a program based on legally discriminatory factors. Harassment can be a specific form of legally prohibited discrimination.

“Harassment” means repetitive, unwelcome conduct which is based on a person’s real or perceived race, color, sex, pregnancy, gender, gender identity or expression, national origin, religion, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, age, or genetic information. 

Examples of harassment include, but are not limited to: slurs; epithets; insults; jokes or derogatory comments; verbal or physical abuse; intimidation (physical, verbal or psychological); impeding or blocking a person’s movement; unwelcome touching, crude jokes or pictures, discussions of sexual experiences, teasing related to sexual characteristics, pressure for sexual activity whether written, verbal or through physical gestures, display or sending of pornographic pictures or objects, obscene graffiti, and spreading rumors related to a person’s alleged sexual activities. Demeaning comments may also constitute harassment.

“Sexual harassment” is a type of harassment which includes unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, or other verbal or physical conduct of sexual nature which:

1. is made as explicit or implicit term or condition of an employee’s employment or a student’s ability to obtain an education; or
2. is used as a basis for decisions impacting either an employee’s employment or a student’s education; or
3. has the purpose or effect of unreasonably or substantially interfering with an employee’s work performance or a student’s educational performance, or creating an intimidating, hostile or offensive environment.

In order to constitute sexual harassment, the conduct at issue must be unwelcome. Sexual conduct between minor students and employees will always be considered unwelcome. Sexual harassment also includes conduct such as rage, sexual assault, stalking, and any other form of sexual violence.

Sexual harassment may occur between persons of the same gender and sex.

Nothing in this policy precludes legitimate, nonsexual physical contact to avoid physical harm to persons or property.

“Retaliation” is any negative conduct which is a taken in response to an individual’s complaint of harassment or discrimination, or participation in any investigation of a harassment or discrimination complaint.