Racial and religious harassment are defined as being any comment, gesture, joke, language or behavior, displayed in any manner that draws attention to racial, religious or cultural differences in a demeaning, disrespectful, or offensive manner.

GUIDELINES FOR BEHAVIOR
To know the difference between behavior that is okay and behavior that constitutes sexual harassment, remember these guidelines:

• Be aware of the difference between the intent of your behavior and the impact of your behavior.
• Be sure that there is equal initiation and participation when you interact with others.
• Treat people as they would like to be treated, not as you think they would like to be treated.

HARASSMENT POLICY #532
General Statement

• Independent School District #279 prohibits any form of sexual, religious, or racial harassment, or sexual, religious, or racial violence.
• It shall be a violation of this policy for any student, employee, or agent of the district to harass a student, employee, or agent of the District through conduct or communication of a sexual nature or regarding religion and race as defined by this policy. It shall also be a violation of this policy for any student, employee, or agent of the District to inflict, threaten to inflict, or attempt to inflict violence of a sexual nature or violence regarding religion or race upon any student, employee, or agent of the District. Violation of this policy will be cause for disciplinary action.

Definitions
Sexual Harassment and Violence

• Sexual harassment consists of unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, sexually motivated physical contact or other physical or verbal conduct or communication of a sexual nature when:
  
  1. Submission to that conduct or communication is made a term or condition, either explicitly or implicitly, of obtaining an education;
  2. Submission to or rejection of that conduct or communication by a student is used as a factor in decisions affecting that student’s education; or
  3. That conduct or communication has the purpose or effect to substantially or unreasonably interfere with a student’s education, or creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive educational environment.
• Sexual violence is a physical act of aggression or assault upon another that includes a sexual or sexual purpose.

• Religious/racial harassment consists of physical or verbal conduct or communication, which is related to an individual’s religion/race when the conduct:
  1. Has the purpose or effect of creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working or academic environment
  2. Has the purpose or effect of substantially or unreasonably interfering with an individual's work or academic performance; or
  3. Otherwise adversely affects an individual's employment or academic opportunities.
• Religious/racial violence is a physical act of aggression or assault upon another because of, or in a manner reasonably related to, religion/race.

• Students who are victims of alleged sexual, religious, or racial harassment or violence or who have knowledge of such conduct must report the alleged act immediately to the building principal or designee.
• Submission of a complaint or report of sexual, religious, or racial harassment or violence will not affect the students' grades. The District will discipline any individual who retaliates against a student who reports, testifies, or participates in any investigation or proceeding related to sexual, religious, or racial harassment or violence. The District will respect the privacy of the complainant, the individual(s) against whom the complaint is filed, and the witnesses as much as possible, consistent with the obligation to investigate and take appropriate disciplinary action.

• Complaints of sexual, religious, or racial harassment or violence perpetrated by a student shall be investigated by the building administration. Disciplinary action shall be taken in accordance with Policy #506, Student Behavior, and building procedures.
• Complaints of sexual harassment or sexual violence perpetrated by an employee or agent of the School District against a student shall be reported and investigated as directed in Policy #414 and required by Minnesota Statute 626.556, Maltreatment of Minors, as well as other applicable law.