Policies » Section G: Personnel » GBAA: Sexual Harassment And Sexual Violence-Employees

Policy Date: 03/07/2024

CSD File: GBAA
CANDIA SCHOOL DISTRICT
SEXUAL HARASSMENT AND SEXUAL VIOLENCE-EMPLOYEE
SEXUAL DISCRIMINATION, HARASSMENT AND VIOLENCE

SEXUAL DISCRIMINATION, HARASSMENT AND VIOLENCE

I. PURPOSE

The purpose of this policy is to maintain a working environment that is free from sexual
discrimination, harassment and violence, or other improper or inappropriate behavior that may
constitute harassment as defined below.

Sexual discrimination, harassment, and violence are against the law and school board policy. Any
form of sexual discrimination, harassment or violence is strictly prohibited.

It is a violation of this policy for any employee to harass a student, employee or person within the
District through conduct or communication of a sexual nature as defined by this policy. It is a
violation of this policy for any employee to be sexually violent toward another employee, or person
within the District.

The District will investigate all formal complaints of sexual harassment, discrimination, or sexual
violence in accordance with the grievance procedures in this policy, and will discipline any
employee who sexually discriminates, harasses or is sexually violent toward another person within
the District. For all complaints the District will offer supportive measures to both complainants and
respondents.

II. TITLE IX COORDINATOR

The District’s Title IX Coordinator is: The District’s Title IX Coordinator is: of Human Resources, 90
Farmer Rd., Hooksett, NH 03106, ksang@sau15.net 603-622-3731 x 4018.

The Title IX Coordinator is responsible for coordinating the District’s efforts to comply with Title IX,
including coordinating the effective implementation of supportive measures and effective
implementation of remedies.

The Title IX Coordinator’s responsibilities include establishing a process to notify applicants for
employment and admission, employees, and all unions of the Title IX Coordinator’s name or title,
office address, e-mail address and telephone number.

The District shall post the Title IX Coordinator’s title or name, office address, e-mail address and
telephone number in conspicuous places throughout school buildings, on the District’s website, and
in each handbook.

III. SEXUAL DISCRIMINATION, HARASSMENT/SEXUAL VIOLENCE DEFINED

Sexual discrimination is discrimination based on sex in the District’s education programs or
activities and extends to employment and admissions.

Sexual harassment is defined as unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, sexually
motivated physical conduct or other verbal or physical conduct or communication of a sexual
nature that satisfies one or more of the following:

1. An employee of the District conditions the provision of an aid benefit, or service on an
individual’s participation in unwelcome sexual conduct;

2. Unwelcome conduct determined by a reasonable person to be so severe, pervasive,
and objectively offensive that it effectively denies a person equal access to the
District’s education program or activity; or

3. Sexual assault as defined in 20 U.S.C. §1092(f)(6)(A(v) dating violence as defined in 34
U.S.C. §12291(a)(10), domestic violence as defined in 34 U.S.C. §12291(a)(8) or
stalking as defined in 34 U.S.C. §12291(a)(30).

Sexual harassment may include, but is not limited to:

1. Verbal harassment and/or abuse of a sexual nature;

2. Subtle pressure for sexual activity;

3. Inappropriate patting, pinching or other touching;

4. Intentional brushing against a person’s body;

5. Demanding sexual favors accompanied by implied or overt threats;

6. Demanding sexual favors accompanied by implied or overt promises of preferential
treatment;

7. Any sexually motivated unwelcome touching; or

8. Sexual violence that is a physical act of aggression that includes a sexual act or sexual
purpose.

Throughout this policy reference to sexual harassment includes sexual discrimination and violence.

IV. REPORTING PROCEDURES

Any employee who believes he or she has been the victim of sexual harassment should report the
alleged act(s) immediately to their immediate supervisor. That employee shall then report the
allegation immediately to an appropriate District official, as designated by this policy. The District
encourages the reporting employee to use the report form available from the Principal of each
building or available from the Superintendent’s office.

1. In each building, the Principal is the person responsible for receiving oral or written reports
of sexual harassment. Upon receipt of a report, the Principal must notify the Title IX
Coordinator immediately without screening or investigating the report. If the report was
given verbally, the Principal shall reduce it to written form within twenty-four (24) hours
and forward it to the Title IX Coordinator. Failure to forward any sexual harassment report
or complaint as provided herein will result in disciplinary action. If the complaint involves
the building Principal or designee the complaint shall be filed directly with the Title IX
Coordinator.

2. The designated person to receive any report or complaint of sexual harassment and sexual
violence is the Title IX Coordinator. If the complaint involves the Title IX Coordinator, the
complaint shall be filed directly with the Superintendent.

3. Any person may also report sexual harassment in person, by mail, telephone or e-mail to
the Title IX Coordinator at any time including non-business hours.

4. Submission of a complaint or report of sexual harassment will not affect the employee’s
standing in school, future employment, or work assignments.

V. DISTRICT’S RESPONSE TO ALL COMPLAINTS OF SEXUAL HARASSMENT

The District will respond promptly and in a manner that is reasonable in light of the known
circumstances when it has actual knowledge of sexual harassment in its education programs or
activities. Actual knowledge means notice to any employee of the District. Education programs or
activities are locations, events, or circumstances over which the District exercised substantial
control over both the alleged perpetrator of sexual harassment (the respondent) and the context in
which the sexual harassment occurs.

The District will treat complainants and respondents equitably by offering supportive measures and
following the grievance process before the imposition of any disciplinary sanctions or other non-
supportive measures against the respondent. The District may place an employee on
administrative leave during the pendency of the grievance process.

The District may remove a respondent from its education programs or activities on an emergency
basis based upon an individualized safety and risk analysis that determines that the respondent
poses an immediate threat to the physical health or safety of any employee or other individual
arising from the allegations of sexual harassment. The District shall provide the respondent with
notice and an opportunity to challenge the decision immediately upon removal.

The Title IX Coordinator will promptly contact the complainant to discuss the availability of
supportive measures, consider the complainant’s wishes with respect to supportive measures,
inform the complainant of the availability of supportive measures with or without the filing of a
formal complaint, and explain to the complainant the process for filing a formal complaint.

These provisions do not modify rights under the IDEA, Section 504, or the ADA.

The District’s response shall not restrict rights protected by the United States Constitution including
the First, Fifth, and Fourteenth Amendments.

VI. SUPPORTIVE MEASURES

Supportive measures are non-disciplinary, non-punitive individualized services offered as
appropriate, as reasonably available, and without fee or charge to the complainant or the
respondent before or after the filing of a formal complaint or where no formal complaint has been
filed which are designed to restore or preserve equal access to the District’s education program or
activity without unreasonably burdening the other party, including measures designed to protect
the safety of all parties or the District’s educational environment, or deter sexual harassment.

Supportive measures may include counseling, extensions of deadlines or other course-related
adjustments, modifications of work or class schedules, shadowing, mutual restrictions on contact
between parties, changes in work or school locations, leaves of absence, increased security and
monitoring of certain areas of the school, and other similar measures.

The District will maintain as confidential any supportive measures provided to the complainant or
respondent, to the extent that maintaining such confidentiality would not impair the ability of the
District to provide the supportive measures.

VII. FORMAL COMPLAINTS

A formal complaint is a document filed by a person who is alleged to be the victim of conduct that
could constitute sexual harassment (the complainant) or signed by the Title IX Coordinator and
requesting that the District investigate the allegation of sexual harassment. The formal complaint
may be filed with the Title IX Coordinator in person, by mail, or e-mail and must contain the
complainant’s physical or digital signature or otherwise indicate that the complainant is the person
filing the formal complaint.

Parents or legal guardians may file complaints on behalf of their children.

The complainant’s wishes with respect to investigating a complaint should be respected unless the
Title IX Coordinator determines that the Title IX Coordinator’s signing a formal complaint over the
complainant’s wishes is not clearly unreasonable in light of the known circumstances.

The Title IX Coordinator may in his/her discretion consolidate formal complaints where the
allegations arise out of the same facts.

In response to a formal complaint, the District will follow the grievance procedures in this policy.

VIII. GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE FOR FORMAL COMPLAINTS

A. Notice of Allegations

The Title IX Coordinator upon receipt of a formal complaint shall provide written notice to the
complainant and respondent of the following:

1. The allegations including the date and location of the alleged incident, if known;

2. A statement that the respondent is presumed not responsible for the alleged conduct and a
determination of responsibility will be made at the conclusion of the grievance process;

3. The complainant and respondent may have an advisor of their choice who may but is not
required to be an attorney and may inspect and review evidence during the investigation;

4. Provisions in the District’s code of conduct that prohibit knowingly making false statements
or knowingly submitting false information;

5. A copy of this Title IX policy.

B. Grievance Procedure Requirements

1. Both the complainant and respondent shall have an equal opportunity to submit and review
evidence throughout the investigation;

2. The District will use trained Title IX personnel to objectively evaluate all relevant evidence
without prejudgment of the facts at issue and free from conflicts of interest or bias for or
against either party.

3. The District will protect the parties’ privacy by requiring a party’s written consent before
using the party’s medical, psychological or similar treatment records during a grievance
process.

4. The District will obtain the parties’ voluntary written consent before using any kind of
informal resolution process, such as mediation or restorative justice, and not use an
informal process where an employee allegedly sexually harassed a student.

5. The District will apply a presumption that the respondent is not responsible during the
grievance process so that the District bears the burden of proof and the standard of
evidence is applied correctly.

6. The District will use the preponderance of the evidence standard for formal complaints
against students and employees.

7. The District will ensure the decision-maker for determining responsibility is not the same
person as the investigator or the Title IX Coordinator.

8. The District will permit the parties to submit written questions for the other parties and
witnesses to answer before determining responsibility.

9. The District will protect all complainants from inappropriately being asked about prior
sexual history.

10. The District will not restrict the parties’ ability to discuss the allegations under investigation
or to gather and produce relevant evidence.

11. The District will send both parties a written determination regarding responsibility
explaining how and why the decision-maker reached conclusions.

12. The District will effectively implement remedies for a complainant if a respondent is found
responsible for sexual harassment.

13. The District will offer both parties an equal opportunity to appeal.

14. The District will protect all individuals, including complainants, respondents, and witnesses,
from retaliation for reporting sexual harassment, or participating or refusing to participate
in any Title IX grievance process.

15. The District will make all materials used to train Title IX personnel publicly available on the
District’s website.

16. The District will document and keep records of all sexual harassment complaints,
investigations, and training for seven (7) years.

IX. INVESTIGATION

The Title IX Coordinator (or the Superintendent, if the Title IX Coordinator is the subject of the
complaint), upon receipt of a formal complaint alleging sexual harassment shall immediately
authorize an investigation. This investigation may be conducted by District officials or by a third
party designated by the District. The investigating party shall provide a written report of the status
of the investigation within ten (10) working days to the Title IX Coordinator. If the Title IX
Coordinator is the subject of the complaint, the report shall be submitted to the Superintendent.

In determining whether alleged conduct constitutes sexual harassment, the District should consider
the surrounding circumstances, the nature of the sexual advances, relationships between the
parties involved and the context in which the alleged incidents occurred. Whether a particular
action or incident constitutes sexual harassment or sexual violence requires a determination based
on all the facts and surrounding circumstances.

The investigation may consist of personal interviews with the complainant, the individual(s) against
whom the complaint is filed, and others who may have knowledge of the alleged incident(s) or
circumstances giving rise to the complaint. The investigation may also consist of any other
methods and documents deemed pertinent by the investigator.

If during the investigation, the District decides to investigate allegations not in the formal
complaint, the Title IX Coordinator shall provide written notice to the parties of the additional
allegations.

The District shall provide to a party whose participation is invited or expected written notice of the
date, time, location, participants and purposes of all investigative interviews, other meetings, or
hearings with sufficient time for the party to prepare to participate.

Prior to the conclusion of the investigation, the investigator shall provide both parties an equal
opportunity to inspect and review any evidence obtained as part of the investigation that is directly
related to the allegations in the formal complaint including evidence that the investigator does not
intend to rely upon. Each party shall have an opportunity to respond to the evidence.

Prior to the completion of the investigation report, the investigator must send to each party and the
party’s advisor, if any, either in electronic format or hard copy the evidence subject to inspection
and review. The parties shall have at least ten (10) days to submit a written response.

The investigator shall create an investigation report fairly summarizing the relevant evidence. The
investigator shall send each party and the party’s advisor, if any, a copy of the investigation report
either in electronic format or hard copy. The parties have ten (10) days to review the investigation
report and file a written response.

X. DETERMINING RESPONSIBILITY

A decision-maker who is not the Title IX Coordinator or investigator must issue a written
determination regarding responsibility based on a preponderance of evidence.

Before reaching a determination, the decision-maker must provide each party the opportunity to
submit written, relevant questions of any party or witness provide both parties with the answers,
and allow for additional, limited follow-up questions. If the decision-maker determines a question
is not relevant, the decision-maker must provide a written explanation to the party proposing the
question.

XI. WRITTEN DETERMINATION OF RESPONSIBILITY

The decision-maker’s written determination must include:

1. An identification of the allegations potentially constituting sexual harassment;

2. A description of the procedural steps taken by the District from the receipt of the formal
complaint through the determination, including any notifications to the parties, interviews
with parties and witnesses, site visits, and methods used to gather other evidence;

3. Findings of fact supporting the determination;

4. Conclusions regarding the application of the District’s code of conduct to the facts;

5. A statement of, and rationale for, the result as to each allegation, including a determination
regarding responsibility, any disciplinary sanctions the District imposes on the respondent,
and whether remedies designed to restore or preserve equal access to the District’s
education program or activity will be provided by the District to the complainant; and

6. The District’s procedures and permissible bases for the complainant and respondent to
appeal.

The District must provide the written determination to the parties simultaneously.

The responsibility determination becomes final either on the date that the District provides the
parties with the written determination of the result of the appeal, if an appeal is filed; or if an
appeal is not filed, the date on which an appeal would no longer be considered timely.

XII. DISMISSAL OF FORMAL COMPLAINT

A. Mandatory Dismissal

If the allegations in the formal complaint are not sexual harassment even if proved; or did not
occur in the District’s education program or activity; or did not occur against a person in the United
States, the District will dismiss the formal complaint.

B. Permissive Dismissal

The District may dismiss the formal complaint, or any allegations, if at any time during the
investigation a complainant notifies the Title IX Coordinator in writing that the complainant would
like to withdraw the formal complaint, or any allegations therein; or the respondent is no longer
enrolled or employed by the District; or specific circumstances prevent the District from gathering
evidence sufficient to reach a determination as to the formal complaint or allegations therein.

The District shall promptly send to the parties simultaneously written notice of the dismissal and
reasons.

XIII. APPEALS

Within ten (10) days of the receipt of the written determination, the complainant and respondent
may appeal to the Superintendent the dismissal of a formal complaint or any allegations; or the
determination of responsibility for the following reasons:

1. Procedural irregularity that affected the outcome of the matter;

2. New evidence that was not reasonably available at the time the determination regarding
responsibility or dismissal was made, that could affect the outcome of the matter; or

3. The Title IX Coordinator, investigator, or decision-maker had a conflict of interest or bias
for or against complainants or respondents generally or the individual complainant or
respondent that affected the outcome of the matter.

The Superintendent shall notify the other party in writing when an appeal is filed and implement
appeal procedures equally for both parties.

In the appeal, both parties shall have a reasonable, equal opportunity to submit a written
statement in support of, or challenging the outcome. The Superintendent shall issue a written
decision describing the result of the appeal, the rationale for the result, and provide the written
decision simultaneously to both parties within ten (10) days of receiving all information submitted
by the parties.

XIV. REPRISAL/RETALIATION

No person may intimidate, threaten, coerce, or discriminate against any individual for the purpose
of interfering with any right or privilege secured by Title IX, or because the individual has made a
report or complaint, testified, assisted, or participated or refused to participate in any manner in an
investigation, proceeding, or hearing under this part. Intimidation, threats, coercion, or
discrimination, including charges against an individual for code of conduct violations that do not
involve sex discrimination or sexual harassment, but arise out of the same facts or circumstances
as a report or complaint of sex discrimination, or a report or formal complaint of sexual
harassment, for the purpose of interfering with any right or privilege secured by Title IX,
constitutes retaliation.

The District will keep confidential the identity of any individual who has made a report or filed a
formal complaint of sexual harassment, any complainant, any individual who has been reported to
be the perpetrator of sex discrimination, any respondent, and any witness, except as may be
permitted by the FERPA, or as required by law, or to carry out Title IX, including the conduct of any
investigation, hearing of judicial proceeding arising thereunder.

Complaints alleging retaliation may be filed according to the grievance procedures for sex
discrimination.

The exercise of rights protected under the First Amendment does not constitute retaliation.

XV. ALLEGED CONDUCT NOT PROHIBITED UNDER TITLE IX

Allegations of conduct that are not prohibited by Title IX may be investigated under the District’s
other policies and rules of conduct.

XVI. SEXUAL HARASSMENT OR SEXUAL VIOLENCE AS CHILD ABUSE OR SEXUAL ABUSE

Under certain circumstances, sexual harassment or sexual violence may constitute child abuse or
sexual abuse under New Hampshire law. In such situations, the District shall comply with said laws
including any reporting obligations.

XVII. DISCIPLINE

The School District will take such disciplinary action it deems necessary and appropriate, including
warning, suspension or immediate discharge to end sexual harassment and sexual violence and
prevent its recurrence.

XVIII. ALTERNATIVE COMPLAINT PROCEDURES, LEGAL REMEDIES, AND INQUIRIES
ABOUT TITLE IX

At any times, whether or not an individual files a complaint or report under this policy, an individual
may file a complaint with the Office for Civil Rights (“OCR”), of the United States Department of
Education, or with the New Hampshire Commission for Human Rights.

1. Office for Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Education, 5 Post Office3 Square, 8th Floor,
Boston, MA 02019-3921; Telephone number (617) 289-0111; Fax number (617) 289-0150;
E-mail OCR.Boston@ed.gov.

2. New Hampshire Commission for Human Rights, 2 Industrial Park Drive, Concord, NH
03301; Telephone number (603) 271-2767; E-mail humanrights@nh.gov.

Notwithstanding any other remedy, any person may contact the police or pursue a criminal
prosecution under state or federal criminal law.

Inquiries about the application of Title IX may be referred to the Title IX Coordinator, the Assistant
Secretary of the United States Department of Education, or both.

XIX. RECORD KEEPING

The District must maintain all records relating to a sexual harassment complaint, investigation, and
training for seven (7) years.

Legal Reference:
Title IX
NH Code of Administrative Rules, Section Ed. 303.01(j), Substantive Duties of
School Boards; Sexual Harassment Policy
NH Code of Administrative Rules, Section 306.04(a)(9), Sexual Harassment

Adopted: June 11, 1985
Adopted: June 1, 2000
Revised: June 7, 2007
Reviewed: June 6, 2019
Revised: June 3, 2021, November 2, 2023, March 7, 2024