Pullman Public Schools

The district is committed to maintaining learning and working environments that are free from all forms of discrimination, including sexual harassment. The district prohibits sexual harassment in any form by employees, students, volunteers, and others involved in school district activities. Sexual harassment can occur adult to student, student to adult, student to student, adult to adult, male to female, female to male, male to male, and female to female.

As a first step, any individual who believes they have been sexually harassed is encouraged to directly inform the harasser the behavior is offensive, unwelcome, and must stop.

Sexual harassment may include (but is not limited to):

• Demands for sexual favors in exchange for preferential treatment or something of value;
• Pressure for dates or sexual activity;
• Penalizing a person for refusing to submit to a sexual advance, or providing a benefit to someone who does;
• Making unwelcome, offensive, or inappropriate
  • sexually suggestive remarks, comments, gestures, or jokes; or
  • remarks of a sexual nature about a person's appearance, gender or conduct;
• Using derogatory sexual terms for a person;
• Standing too close, inappropriately touching, cornering or stalking a person; or
• Offensive sexual graffiti, pictures, or photographs;
• Hazing, pranks, or other intimidating behavior directed toward an individual in the educational environment.
• Sexual jokes or teasing.

Any student who believes that they have been subjected to sexual harassment in the educational environment is strongly encouraged to bring their complaint to the immediate attention of any adult staff member. Third party harassment will also be disciplined under this section.

Engaging in sexual harassment will result in appropriate disciplinary action up to and including suspension or other appropriate sanctions against offending staff and contractors.

No person shall be retaliated against for making a report of sexual harassment or for providing testimony or assisting in the investigation of such a report. Retaliation will lead to disciplinary action against the offender.

It is also a violation of this policy to knowingly report false allegations of sexual harassment. Persons found knowingly reporting false allegations will also be subject to disciplinary action.

It is the policy of the Pullman School District not to discriminate against any student on the basis of sex. In keeping with that policy, sexual harassment will not be tolerated by any of its students. It is the goal of the Pullman School District to maintain an educational environment free of sexual harassment. Student initiated sexual harassment toward another student or toward an adult within the school is considered to be a major offense that will result in disciplinary action against the offender.

The district will develop and teach appropriate curriculum to address issues of sexual harassment.

• 1st offense: Warning, conference with Principal/Counselor
• 2nd offense: In-School Suspension
• 3rd offense: 3-day out-of-school suspension
• 4th offense: 10-day out-of-school suspension

Sexual harassment is unwelcome behavior or communication that is sexual in nature when:

• A student or employee is led to believe that they must submit to unwelcome sexual conduct or communications in order to gain something in return, such as a grade, a promotion, a place on a sports team, or any educational or employment decision, or

• The conduct substantially interferes with a student's educational performance or creates an intimidating or hostile educational or employment environment.

Examples of Sexual Harassment:

• Pressuring a person for sexual favors
• Unwelcome touching of a sexual nature
• Writing graffiti of a sexual nature
• Distributing sexually explicit texts, e-mails, or pictures
• Making sexual jokes, rumors, or suggestive remarks
• Physical violence, including rape and sexual assault