If sexual harassment happens in your school, the school district CAN be sued in court.School district officials are responsible under Title IX and other federal and state statutes to guarantee all students an education in an environment free from sexual harassment and sex discrimination. It is the responsibility of school administrators to tell students the rules and explain what is legal and illegal within the school.
If school officials are negligent and fail to respond to complaints of sexual harassment, then they are allowing and encouraging behaviors which are both frightening and illegal. A student may file a complaint with the Office for Civil Rights of the U.S. Department of Education, which will conduct an investigation; students also may file lawsuits in federal court under Title IX.
In a 1992 unanimous ruling, the Supreme Court established that schools may be liable for compensatory damages in sex discrimination and sexual harassment cases.
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Excerpted by permission from: Flirting or Hurting? A Teacher's Guide on Student-to-Student Sexual Harassment in Schools (grades 6 through 12) by Nan Stein and Lisa Sjostrom
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