By: Joe, Julie, Jose, and Candice

By: Joe, Julie, Jose, and Candice

1. What problem, issue, or policy do you propose to work on? Our group plans to work on sexual harassment in school and the community. 2. Describe the problem and its effects on people: Sexual harassment is intimidation, bullying, or force of any sexual nature, it effects people mentally, physically, and emotionally. Sexual harassment can include a range of behaviors from seemingly mild transgressions to actual sexual abuses. 3. How is the problem or issue related to policy? Its related to the sexual harassment policy within school, there is a Federal law against sexual harassment. 4. Why do you want to work on this? Why do you think it is important? Our group wants to work on sexual harassment because it is among us all and people don’t really seem to understand the seriousness of this subject. It is important to raise awareness on this issue because a lot of students that have been sexual harassed are too afraid to take a stand. 5. What are the first few things you would do? Research, as in get our facts straight and gain more information on the subject. Find out ways to bring the word out into a talking matter.

Sexual Harassment is Against the Law Federal Law: The federal law prohibiting sexual harassment in schools is Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (Title IX), which prohibits any person, on the basis of sex, to be subjected to discrimination in an educational program or activity receiving federal financial assistance. The law applies to any academic, extracurricular (student organizations and athletics), research, occupational training, and other educational programs from pre-school to graduate school that receives or benefits from federal funding. The entire institution falls under Title IX even if only one program or activity receives federal funds. Under Title IX, a school is required to have and distribute a policy against sex discrimination, particularly one that addresses sexual harassment. Such a policy lets students, parents, and employees know that sexual harassment will not be tolerated. A school is also required to adopt and publish grievance procedures for resolving sex discrimination complaints, including complaints of sexual harassment. This provides an effective means for promptly and appropriately responding to sexual harassment complaints. Title IX also requires that schools evaluate current policies and practices to ensure the institution is in compliance with Title IX. Schools are also required to appoint at least one employee responsible for coordinating Title IX compliance efforts. Finally, it is illegal to intimidate, threaten, or coerce a person who has taken action under Title IX. California State Law: The Sex Equity in Education Act of California’s Educational Equity Laws prohibits sex discrimination, including sexual harassment, in any California academic, athletic, extracurricular, research or financial aid program that receives state money. The California Sex Equity in Education Act requires that educational institutions of the state have a written policy on sexual harassment that is distributed to students, faculty, and parents. This statement must include information on where to obtain the specific rules and procedures for reporting charges of sexual harassment and for pursuing available remedies. LINK: :http://www.equalrights.org/publications/kyr/shschool.asp

1. What is your goal? What would you like to see happen with this? As a group, our goal is to develop awareness throughout our school and we would like to eventually get the point across in our community. 2. What do you need to know before you take your next steps? Collect data on students’ own personal experiences of sexual harassment. Find laws on the subject 3. What is your civic action? Contribute surveys to students 4. When: After studying the policy

1. What was your last civic action? Describe the outcomes and any relationship to policy: Our last civic action was creating a sexual harassment awareness video. This video helps people understand the seriousness of this issue and the fact that one must report any such harassment before it can lead to something far more dangerous. It relates to policy because any sexual harassment must be reported in order to prevent future harassments to more innocents. 2. What knowledge, skills or attitudes of effective citizenship did you use or did you gain through doing this civic action? Acting Speaking skills Communication Collaboration 3. What is your next civic action? We plan to build a social group or club, in which students can interact and share personal experiences with one another without having to worry about anyone judging or exposing their situations. 4. When do you expect to complete this civic action? We hope to create this social club within the next semester and have it passed down for future students of Bell Gardens High School.

1. Do you know or are close to someone that has ever been sexually harassed? 68- Yes 66- No 2. Have you ever been sexually harassed? 27- Yes 107- No 3. If so, was it done by a male or female? 25- Male 13- Female 94- Not Applied 4. What gender do you believe gets sexually harassed the most? 8- Mal e 125- Female 5. Do you know how or who to make a report to? 91- Yes 43- No

1. What did you learn from the issue you worked on? We learned that sexual harassment is a bigger issue than any of us have imagined and that students believe more females get sexually harassed than males. This issue has actually effected peers around us mentally, physically, and emotionally, sexual harassment is in fact becoming more common within our community. 2. How did you try to impact this problem? Our group created a video, showing how sexual harassment can truly affect someone and if it does occur, one must report it immediately. 3. What impact did you make? Even though if not everyone got the picture, we know in fact that more students are now more attentive of what sexual harassment truly is, and that they must report it to an adult the instant it happens. 4. What recommendations will you make to the next person who chooses to work on this issue? We would recommend the next group to try making a bigger impact and getting the actual city involved. (Setting up appointments with the City Council) 5. Make a list of knowledge skill and attitudes you developed through the CAP experience. Acting Speaking skills Communication Collaboration