Re: Peer Sexual Harassment Article

From: McGrathLA@aol.com
Date: Fri May 07 1999 - 12:14:03 EDT


Linda,

Thank you for your questions. I keep up with this list regularly and have
noted your frequent participation. You are clearly committed to the welfare
of children and in action on this commitment.

Regarding parents...

One of our foremost intentions with The Early Faces of Violence is to
highlight the seriousness of the situation--both the immediate and lasting
impact of bullying, ridicule, and sexual harassment. We interviewed the
mother of a young girl who was persistently tormented by her peers over time
and showcase this interview in our training tapes for teachers and for parents.

This gracious and courageous woman reveals her story thoughtfully and
poignantly. Her deep love for her daughter and commitment to resolving the
situation come through clearly. I think that parents who watch this will feel
well-represented. In these videos we wove in commentary from experts on the
subject of bullying and trauma as well as interviews with adults who
experienced harassment as young children. What gets revealed are both the
complexity of the issue and the undeniable harm involved.

Thank you also for your question about Title IX civil suit avenues of
redress. This series is focused on awareness and educating children to treat
each other with respect and waking up school personnel to the seriousness of the
issue. First and foremost, we hope to bring the school community
together--parents, teachers, and administrators--working together on behalf of
children. Video #6 does clearly distinguish the incidents portrayed in our main
movie "Show and Tell" as an actionable case of sexual harassment (under Title
IX) in an elementary school. We make the point that school districts have a duty
to protect and train their students with regard to sexual harassment and may be
held liable for failure to perform these duties.

Meanwhile, we all await the Supreme Court decision on Davis with bated
breath...

Warmly,

Maureen Charles
National program Director
McGrath Systems, Inc.
McGrathLA@aol.com



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