WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT DISCRIMINATION, BULLYING, AND SEXUAL HARASSMENT

1. WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT DISCRIMINATION,BULLYING, AND SEXUAL HARASSMENT Do your part to MAKE OUR SCHOOL a great place for everyone!

2. Discriminationand the Law • California Education Code 220 states “No person shall be subjected to discrimination on the basis of disability, gender, gender identity, gender expression, nationality, race or ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation…, including immigration status, in any program or activity conducted by an educational institution that receives, or benefits from, state financial assistance, or enrolls pupils who receive state student financial aid."

3. BEHAVIOR THAT MAY be discrimination • Revealing someone’s transgender status without consent from the individual • Physical assault of a student motivated by hostility toward them because of gender, gender identity, or gender expression • Not allowing someone to participate in an activity because of race, ethnicity, or sexual orientation • Making mean comments or jokes regarding someone else because of race, ethnicity, or sexual orientation. • Use of gender slurs • Social media posts that are derogatory because of someone’s race, ethnicity, or sexual orientation • Blocking someone’s entry to the bathroom that corresponds to his/her/their gender identity • Making fun of someone because of participation in an activity more typically favored by someone of the other sex

4. No one is allowed to Harass, intimidate, orbullyyou because of your… • Age • Religion • Marital Status • Pregnancy/parental status • Physical or mental disability • Sex • Sexual Orientation • Gender • Gender Identity • Gender Expression • Genetic Information • Association with a person or group with one or more of these actual or perceived characteristics • Race/color • Ancestry • Nationality/national origin • Immigration status • Ethnic group identification/ethnicity

5. Bullying harms everyone Bullying is an unwanted, aggressive behavior that involves an imbalance of real or perceived power between individuals with the intent to cause harm.Students who are the targets of bullying behavior and those who exhibit bullying behavior toward others may suffer serious, lasting consequences. Bullying is… • A Deliberate Act: To cause emotional or physical harm to another individual. • An Imbalance of Power: Those who bully use their power—such as physical strength, access to embarrassing information, or popularity—to control or harm others. Power imbalances can change over time and vary in different situations, even if they involve the same people. • Repetition: Bullying behaviors that occur more than one time or have the potential to happen more than once.

6. EXAMPLES OF bullying • Physical Bullying – hitting, kicking, pinching, spitting, tripping, pushing, taking or breaking someone’s possessions, or making cruel or rude hand gestures. • Verbal Bullying – saying or writing hurtful things, such as teasing, name-calling, inappropriate sexual comments, taunting, or threats to cause harm. • Social/Relational Bullying – harming a person’s reputation or relationships, such as leaving a person out of an activity on purpose, influencing others not to be friends with someone, spreading rumors, or embarrassing someone in public. • Cyberbullying – can involve all three types of bullying and takes place using electronic technology and may include sending demeaning or hateful text messages or emails, sending rumors by email or by posting on social networking sites, or posting embarrassing photos, videos, websites, or fake profiles.

7. SEX & GENDER Discrimination& the Law • Title IXof the Education Amendments Act of 1972 is a federal law that states: "No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving federal financial assistance."

8. SEXUAL HARASSMENT is A FORM OF discrimination • DISCRIMINATION AGAINST ANYONE because of gender, perceived gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, or association with a person or group with one or more of these actual or perceived characteristics. • DISCRIMINATION AGAINST ANYONEthat includes unwelcome sexual advances, unwanted requests for sexual favors, sexual violence, or other unwanted verbal, visual, or physical conduct of a sexual nature made against another person of the same or opposite sex in the educational setting. • Sexual harassment is not allowed on campus, at school related activities, and off campus in some cases. Students who violate this will be subject to discipline. Sexual Harassment is discrimination. Sexual Harassment violates the law. Sexual Harassment is prohibited in the Kern High School District.

9. BEHAVIOR THAT MAY BE SEXUAL HARASSMENT • Graphic verbal comments about an individual's body or overly personal conversation • Sexual jokes, offensive posters, notes, stories, cartoons, drawings, pictures, obscene gestures, or computer-generated images of a sexual nature • Spreading sexual rumors • Massaging, grabbing, fondling, stroking, or brushing the body • Touching an individual's body or clothes in a sexual way • Displaying sexually suggestive objects • Sexual assault, sexual battery, or sexual coercion • Any sexual relationship between a student and staff member • Unwelcome leering, sexual flirtations, or propositions • Unwelcome sexual slurs, labels, threats, verbal abuse, insulting comments, or sexually degrading descriptions

10. SEXUAL HARASSMENT IS NOT ALLOWED ANYstudent who believes that they have been subjected to sexual harassment by anyone or has witnessed someone else being sexually harassed is strongly encouraged to report the incident to their teacher, the principal, or any other available school employee. All school employees are required to notify the principal or district’s compliance officer within one school day of receiving the report of sexual harassment. ALLsexual harassment reports will be investigated and prompt action will be taken to STOP any harassment, PREVENT further harassment, and ADDRESS any continuing effect on students. ALL complaints and allegations of sexual harassment shall be kept confidential except as necessary to carry out the investigation or take other subsequent necessary action

11. SEXUAL HARASSMENT IS NOT ALLOWED In addition to being against the law, sexual harassment is a violation of Kern High School District rules. The district will take immediate actions to stop the sexual harassment and will take interim measures to ensure a safe school environment for a student who is the complainant or victim of sexual harassment during an investigation. Sexual assault and dating violence is considered sexual harassment.

12. SEXUAL HARASSMENT IS NOT ALLOWED The Annual Notice was mailed home with important information about district policies (rules). The Annual Notice includes the district’s sexual harassment policies (rules) and how to report instances of harassment. The Annual Notice can also be accessed online at www.kernhigh.org

13. SEXUAL HARASSMENT IS NOT ALLOWED Additional information can be found on the Kern High School District website at www.kernhigh.org

14. Child Abuse and/or child neglect Child Abuse can be any of the following: • A physical injury inflicted on a child by another person other than by accidental means. • The sexual abuse, assault, or exploitation of a child. • The negligent treatment or maltreatment of a child by a person responsible for the child’s welfare under circumstances indicating harm or threatened harm to the child’s health or welfare. This is whether the harm or threatened harm is from acts or omissions on the part of the responsible person. • The willful harming or endangerment of the person or health of a child, any cruel or inhumane corporal punishment or any injury resulting in a traumatic condition. If you believe that you are being abused by an adult, report to any school employee. All school employees are required, by law, to report all known or suspected cases of child abuse or neglect to law enforcement or Child Protective Services.

15. Reporting HARASSMENT, bullying & abuse • Report it if it happens to you or if you see if happening to someone else • Report to any school employee (principal, dean, counselor, teacher, or any staff member you trust). • Report to your parents or a trusted family member. • Report directly to the Kern High School District Title IX Coordinator, Dr. Dean McGee at (661) 827-3149 or dmcgee@kernhigh.org • If the school is not responding to your sexual harassment complaint, or if you believe that you need to report directly to an outside agency, you have the right to file a civil or criminal complaint before, during, or after the district’s sexual harassment investigation. • You may also file a discrimination complaint with the Office for Civil Rights at (415) 486-5555 or ocr.sanfrancisco@ed.gov

16. STOPPING SEXUAL HARASSMENT • Link for video