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Is Sexual Harassment Academic?

© Flora Thomas-Guillory

Walking down the halls of my junior high and high schools was one of the least favorite parts of my day. I don't know what made me think of it now, over 20 years later, but this morning I woke up feeling a rage that I hadn't felt in decades. I'd awakened from a dream about school, and in that dream I was once again being accosted by the water fountain. In my dream, I was expressing my anger though, and that was something I never did when it actually happened. Back then I was too timid...too afraid to speak out...too unwilling to fight back. Perhaps this time, my dream was allowing me to release what's been trapped in my psyche for all of these years...the rage that it happened and was common practice. After all, I was in school to learn and grow, I shouldn't have had to be so miserable. I didn't feel comfortable or safe in school. I shouldn't have been put in that position in the first place.

I resented it then, and I resent it now.

Today, I know that sexual harassment is a serious problem for thousands of students. It effects the educational process at all levels, from elementary to secondary schools and through college. Sexual harassment knows no boundaries and threatens a student's well being. It can influence the student's academic performance to the point of preventing them from achieving their career goals.

Sexual harassment has no boundaries and reaches across the lines of age, race and sexual orientation. Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 prohibits sex discrimination, including sexual harassment, thereby making it illegal. Title IX was created to prevent sexual harassment in schools thus providing a safer learning environment.

Title IX is intended to protect students from unlawful sexual harassment in all school programs and activities. It covers activities taking place in school facilities, school transport vehicles, and off campus school sponsored training programs or classes. Title IX protects male and female students from sexual harassment, without regard for the identity of the harasser.

Sexual harassment can happen anywhere...in the classrooms, the halls, cafeterias, dormitories and any other area which is accessible to students. All too often this behavior is allowed because students and employees are not informed about what sexual harassment is or the best ways to stop it. Students, parents and school staff must be able to recognize sexual harassment and understand what they can do to prevent it.