TITLE IX

Title IX Policy and Notice of Nondiscrimination:

It is GSA’s policy to prohibit harassment of any employee by any supervisor, employee, parent, scholar, volunteer, or vendor on the basis of sex or gender. The purpose of this policy is not to regulate personal morality within GSA. It is to ensure that at GSA all employees are free from sexual harassment. While it is not easy to define precisely what types of conduct could constitute sexual harassment, examples of prohibited behavior include unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, obscene gestures, displaying sexually graphic magazines, calendars or posters, sending sexually explicit e-mails, text messages and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature, such as uninvited touching of a sexual nature or sexually related comments. Depending upon the circumstances, improper conduct also can include sexual joking, vulgar or offensive conversation or jokes, commenting about the employee’s physical appearance, the conversation about one’s own or someone else’s sex life, or teasing or other conduct directed toward a person because of their gender which is sufficiently severe or pervasive to create an unprofessional and hostile working environment.

If the employee feels that s/he has been subjected to conduct which violates this policy, s/he should immediately report the matter to the Superintendent. If unable for any reason to contact this person, or if the employee has not received a satisfactory response within five (5) business days after reporting any incident of perceived harassment, the employee should contact the Title IX coordinator. If the person toward whom the complaint is directed is one of the individuals indicated above, the employee should contact any higher-level manager in their reporting hierarchy. Every report of perceived harassment will be fully investigated, and corrective action will be taken where appropriate. All complaints will be kept confidential to the extent possible, but confidentiality cannot be guaranteed. In addition, GSA will not allow any form of retaliation against individuals who report unwelcome conduct to leadership or who cooperate in the investigations of such reports in accordance with this policy. If the employee feels that s/he has been subjected to any such retaliation, s/he should report it in the same manner in which a claim of perceived harassment would be reported under this policy. Violation of this policy including any improper retaliatory conduct will result in disciplinary action, up to and including termination. All employees must cooperate with all investigations.

Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, a federal law, prohibits sexual discrimination in schools and protects scholars against sexual discrimination and harassment. Teachers and scholars have the right to participate in all educational programs and activities without fear of sexual harassment. Faculty, staff, and scholars all have a duty not to engage in sexual conduct that is obscene or unwanted by others.

Title IX Procedures:

• Title IX Step by Step Guidance

Title IX FAQs:

• Office of Civil Rights Title IX FAQ

Title IX training for staff is held annually.  

Staff complete the Title IX: Compliance Overview training in order to understand and identify any type of harassing behavior.