Understanding Sexual Harassment, Sexual Violence, and Sex-Based Discrimination

You may submit a Title IX complaint at any time. However, if you are trying to determine whether your incident fits within the Title IX framework, consider the following information.

Students and staff are protected against sex/gender discrimination, including sexual harassment and/or sexual violence, by anyone in any CSD school program or activity, including on the school campus, on the school bus, or off-campus during a school-sponsored activity. 

Sexual Harassment

Sexual Harassment is a form of sex discrimination. It is defined as unwelcome behavior or communication that is sexual in nature and substantially interferes with a student's educational performance, educational program, or activity, or creates an intimidating or hostile educational or employment environment. This can include:

• Offensive, severe, and/or frequent remarks about a person's sex
• Harassment of a sexual nature which interferes with an individual's right to an education and participation in a program or activity
• Quid Pro Quo - Being led to believe that one 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

Examples that may constitute sexual harassment:

• Pressuring a person for sexual favors
• Unwelcome touching of a sexual nature
• Distributing sexually explicit texts, e-mails, pictures, or videos
• stalking or obscene phone calls, texts, emails, or gestures
• sexually suggestive jokes, whistles, catcalls, or innuendos
• Making sexual jokes, rumors, or suggestive remarks
• Physical violence, including rape and sexual assault
• Humiliating or degrading comments or conduct of a sexual nature.
• Conditioning the provision of a promotion on an individual's participation in unwelcome sexual conduct

Under Title IX policy, sexual harassment includes the following:

Harassment of a sexual nature that a reasonable person would find so severe or pervasive and subjectively and objectively offensive that it limits or denies a person's ability to participate in or benefit from CSD programs or activities.

Categories: Sex stereotypes, sex characteristics, pregnancy or related conditions, sexual orientation, gender identity 

Sexual Violence

Sexual Violence is defined as a form of prohibited sexual behavior that substantially interferes with a student's educational performance, educational program, or activity, or creates an intimidating or hostile educational or employment environment. This can include:

• Sexual abuse or assault, battery, or coercion
• Unwanted sexual contact that stops short of rape or completed rape
• Use of force or manipulation of unwanted sexual activity
• Physical acts where a person is incapable of giving consent or is against a person's will

Below are some examples of conduct that may constitute sexual violence:

• Sexual assault, battery, or coercion
• Attempted or completed rape
• Inappropriate touching
• Physical and/or aggressive sexual advances
• Sexual acts without consent, including when someone is incapable of giving consent

Under Title IX policy, sexual violence includes the following:

Sexual assault; as defined by the Clery Act and dating violence, domestic violence, or stalking as defined in the Violence Against Women Act; that a reasonable person would find so severe or pervasive and subjectively and objectively offensive that it limits or denies a person's ability to participate in or benefit from CSD programs or activities.

Sex-based Discrimination

Sex-based discrimination is defined as discrimination or harassment based upon one's gender (sex) that substantially interferes with a student's educational performance, educational program, or activity, or creates an intimidating or hostile educational or employment environment. This definition includes pregnancy, actual or perceived sexual orientation, and actual or perceived gender identity. This can include:

• Unfair treatment, attitudes, or behaviors towards an individual based upon their perceived or actual gender (sex), perceived or actual pregnancy status, and perceived or actual sexual orientation.
• Sexism, sexist attitudes, and sex stereotyping
• Inequitable athletic programs or activities offered to some genders and not others

Below are some examples of conduct that may constitute gender discrimination::

• gender-based bullying
• derogatory or sexist remarks
• gender discrimination in an activity, athletics, program, office, or classroom
• Failure to provide equal access to a school’s athletic programs including club, intramural, and intercollegiate teams. 

Title IX requires the equal treatment of female and male student-athletes in the provisions of: 

• equipment and supplies
• scheduling of games and practice times
• travel and daily allowance/per diem
• access to tutoring
• coaching
• locker rooms, practice, and competitive facilities
• medical and training facilities and services
• publicity and promotions
• support services 
• recruitment of student-athletes

Under Title IX policy, sex-based discrimination includes the following:

Discrimination based on sex stereotypes, sex characteristics, pregnancy or related conditions, sexual orientation and/or gender identity that a reasonable person would find so severe or pervasive and subjectively and objectively offensive that it limits or denies a person's ability to participate in or benefit from CSD programs or activities.

If you experience sex-based discrimination, harassment, or violence, report it to the school principal, any staff member, or the district's Title IX Coordinator, listed in the contact section on the right side of this page.