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Harassment Policy

It is the policy of Newtown Friends School to provide a non-discriminatory school

environment which includes freedom from harassment of its employees and students inany form. This includes harassment based on race, color, reliion, national oriin, ae,

ender, se!ual orientation, or disability. The policy re"uires each employee to e!hibit, in

both conduct and communications, sound #udment and respect for the feelins andsensitivities of every employee and all students. Harassment in the wor$place is a

violation of the School%s policy and it is unlawful. This policy applies to all employees at

all levels of the School. &ny administrator, faculty or staff member who enaes inharassment is sub#ect to disciplinary action, up to and includin termination of

employment.

HarassmentThe ''() considers harassment to be in violation of the law and has official uidelines

definin harassment in the wor$place. Harassment means any unwelcome, intimidatin

or deroatory slur, #o$e, comment, communication, conduct or action relatin to the race,

color, reliion, national oriin, ae, ender, se!ual orientation, or disability of anotherindividual or roup of individuals.

'thnic Harassment

&ny unwelcome, intimidatin or deroatory slur, #o$e, comment, word, phrase,

communication, conduct or action desined to characteri*e or offend a iven individualor roup of individuals based upon their race, color, reliion or national oriin and which

create an offensive educational or employment environment for that individual or roup

of individuals.

Se!ual Harassment

Se!ual harassment includes any unwelcome conduct of a se!ual nature when+ submission to such conduct is made either implicitly or e!plicitly a term or conditionof an individual%s employment

/ submission to or re#ection of such conduct by an individual is used as the basis for

employment decisions affectin an individual0 such conduct has the purpose or effect of substantially interferin with an individual%s

wor$ performance or creatin an intimidatin, hostile, or offensive wor$in environment.

Se!ual harassment is not social or courtin behavior. It is uninvited and unwanted and isbest seen as an assertion of power

Se!ual harassment between employees will be considered to consist of, but not be limitedto, the followin behaviors+

1nwelcome se!ual advances, either verbal or physical in nature 2eprecatory, deroatory or ob#ectionable remar$s and3or behavior of a se!ual nature Inappropriate personal3se!ual "uestions and3or remar$s

Se!ually e!plicit or suestive remar$s about a person%s physical attributes,

clothin or behavior Se!ually stereotyped or se!ually chared insults, humor or verbal abuse

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&dult3Student 4elationships

The Newtown Friends School community feels stronly that any adult3student

relationship which involves se!ual overtones is even more serious in nature than a se!ualharassment issue. &ny adult3student relationship which involves either verbal or physical

se!ual conduct or suestions is considered to be inappropriate, hihly unethical, may be

illeal, and will be treated as child se!ual abuse.In adult3student relationships, the power imbalance and the student%s relative ine!perience

ma$e a stron sense of professional and institutional responsibility an imperative.

Therefore, all se!ual advances and interaction are prohibited between adults and students.Faculty and staff behavior in respect to students must be above suspicion. &ny Newtown

Friends School employee found to be in violation of either the spirit or letter of this

policy will be sub#ect to appropriate disciplinary action, which may include immediate

termination.

)omplaint Procedure

&ny employee who has been sub#ected to harassment of any $ind is encouraed to

immediately contact his3her supervisor or the Head of School. If the harassment involvesthe supervisor, s3he should contact the Head of School. If the Head of School is involved,

the employee should contact the cler$ of the School )ommittee. &ny supervisor who ismade aware of a possible harassment situation is to notify the Head of School. The school

administrators understand that, in some cases, the person who feels harassed may want

to try to solve the problem on his3her own, first informally, to avoid brinin formalchares. The School respects the decision of any employee who tries to end an

uncomfortable situation informally, but is ready to proceed formally at any stae.

&ny employee who believes he or she is bein harassed should+ )onsider carefully whether the conduct in "uestion is harassment

)onfront the person responsible, re"uestin the conduct cease Ta$e a complaint throuh lines of supervision 5as previously stated if the problem isnot resolved or if the incident is serious in nature

&nyone who believes that a student is bein harassed by an adult should+ )onsider carefully whether the conduct in "uestion is harassment

)onfront the person responsible, re"uestin the conduct cease

Ta$e a complaint throuh lines of supervision 5as previously stated if the problem is

not resolved or if the incident is serious in nature

(nce a complaint is brouht to the attention of the school, the procedure is as follows+ & prompt and impartial investiation of the complaint is conducted by theadministrator receivin the complaint or by another specifically desinated representative

of the school. That investiation may include 5but will not necessarily be limited to

interviews with the complainant, with the person or persons aainst whom the complaintwas made, and with other employees or students who may have witnessed the reported

incident5s.

1pon completion of the investiation, the administrator who conducted that

investiation will meet individually with the complainant and the employee or employees

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aainst whom the complaint was made, to report the results of the investiation and,

where an action is determined to be appropriate, to inform the parties of the steps that

will be ta$en to correct the situation.

The investiation will be conducted to protect as much as possible the privacy of the

individuals involved, but employees should be aware that information must be shared inorder for an effective investiation to be conducted. &ny administrator who receives a

complaint of harassment from an employee or who otherwise $nows or has reason to

believe that an employee is or has been sub#ected to harassment is e!pected to report thematter promptly. There will be no retaliation aainst any employee or student who

complains of harassment or who participates in the investiation of such a complaint.

If harassment has been found to have occurred, the followin disciplinary responses willbe instituted, accordin to the level of severity of the harassment+

)ounselin only Probation coupled with counselin

Suspension Termination

&ny school employee determined to be uilty of any form of se!ual abuse will be

immediately terminated.