ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. – The St. Johns County School Board is set to vote this week on proposed updates to its sexual harassment policy.
The proposed changes would add a dedicated section outlining how to file a sexual harassment complaint.
News4JAX spoke with the Executive Director for Community Relations, Christina Upchurch, who said the policy updates are to address a state law that further defines the guidelines on title 9 policies including sexual harassment.
The district attorney presented the new rule to the school board during a workshop back in June.
Currently, the district’s policy against discrimination and harassment spans nine pages and covers definitions of discrimination, harassment, and sexual harassment.
The new proposal would add 10 pages under Rule 2.161, detailing the grievance process for sexual harassment complaints.
The updated policy defines sexual harassment as “including, but not limited to, requests for sexual favors and other verbal, visual, or physical conduct of a sexual nature.”
Examples of conduct that may constitute sexual harassment include:
- Graphic verbal comments about an individual’s body or appearance
- Sexual jokes, notes, stories, drawings, pictures, or gestures
- Sexual slurs, leering, threats, abusive words, derogatory comments, or sexually degrading descriptions
- Unwelcome sexual flirtations or propositions for sexual activity, or unwelcome demands for sexual favors
- Spreading sexual rumors
- Touching an individual’s body or clothes (including one’s own) in a sexual way
- Cornering or blocking normal movements
- Displaying sexually suggestive drawings, pictures, written materials, or objects in the educational environment
Items 5 through 17 of the proposed policy detail the process for reporting, investigating, and resolving formal sexual harassment complaints.
The policy states that any person may report sexual harassment to the Title IX coordinator, currently listed as Cynthia Preston. Formal complaints must be investigated according to the grievance process, and there are procedures for emergency removal if necessary.
News4JAX reached out to St. Johns County Schools and spoke with the Executive Director for Community Relations, Christina Upchurch, who said the policy updates are to address a state law that further defines the guidelines on Title IX policies, including sexual harassment.
The district attorney presented the new rule to the school board during a workshop back in June.
The public will have an opportunity to weigh in during a hearing and vote at the school board meeting scheduled for Tuesday at 4 p.m.
