Does Joliet Schools Have a Sexual Harassment Problem?

Over the course of the past year, there have been three official investigations into allegations of male Joliet school staff members' sexual harassment/misconduct toward female students.

There have also been several reports by teachers, coaches and students, to the administration, that were not investigated. The most recent uninvestigated report occurring just a few short weeks before the winter break.

In these reports, three different male staff members are accused of inappropriately texting students, massaging shoulders, whispering in students' ears and hugging students from behind, squeezing students on the hip/buttocks area, as well as running a hand up a bare leg and advising the student it was time to shave.

Most adults are aware that these behaviors are unacceptable. However, the school investigations into these reports found no wrongdoing. Further, nothing reported has been deemed to rise to the level of a criminal offense.

As a result, the teacher who was suspended last fall, for alleged sexual harassment/misconduct, has been cleared of wrongdoing and has now returned to the school and classroom.

If the school will not keep our children safe, what can we, as a community, do to ensure our children are protected?

First, we must teach our children what sexual harassment is and how to respond. It has become standard practice that a person does not touch another human being without permission. This should be no different in schools. Administrators, teachers and coaches have no business touching students, without permission, throughout the course of a normal school day or sports/activity practice.

If it does happen, kids need to know it is ok to tell the person in an authority position over them that they do not want to be touched. Students do not have to allow an administrator, teacher or coach to make them feel physically uncomfortable. If kids do not learn to respect boundaries, they grow up with the expectation that their boundaries do not have to be respected. We are setting them up for a lifetime of emotional distress.

Poster to be placed outside administrative offices and in the high school boys and girls locker rooms at Joliet High School.

Second, pressure needs to be put on Joliet school's administration to follow federal and state law concerning reporting procedures. They need to be held accountable that every single report is investigated and that their procedures are followed. The current practice of the superintendent and high school principal dismissing complaints without investigating has to stop. Further, administrators need to be aware that it is unacceptable to tell students who report sexual harassment to stop spreading rumors.

Joliet schools has not publicly acknowledged the issue; however, a new Title IX page was added last month to the school website with contact information as well as links to the policies, procedures and forms for reporting sexual harassment and discrimination.

The school district has also agreed to place a poster in the boys and girls high school locker rooms, as well as outside administrative offices, from the Montana Human Rights Bureau. At the bottom of this poster is a number that students can call to report sexual harassment and discrimination. If the school will not uphold their legal obligation to investigate all reports, the state will.