News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
The Jackson County School System has a new Title IX and sexual harassment policy with two new positions in charge of reports.
The Tennessee School Boards Association model policy includes a Title IX Coordinator and a designated Decision Maker. Director of Schools Kristy Brown said the two positions will be filled by district employees with no conflicts of interest.
“Basically, some of the differences are providing detailed definitions of the roles of people,” Brown said. “When somebody makes a Title IX or a sexual harassment compliant, everybody is aware of who that is reported to and their rights.”
Brown said every teacher will be required to be trained on the new policy this school year. Under the policy, the coordinator receives a sexual harassment report and discusses with the complainant if an investigation is needed. If a formal report is made, the decision maker reviews all evidence and rules responsibility of each party involved.
“Our principals have been trained by our board attorney, so they are familiar with this revised policy,” Brown said. “The next steps are going to be to set up a time and place to make sure our staff and facility know what to do.”
Brown said the goal of the policy is to provide a detailed investigation with an accurate outcome. The Board of Education passed the second and final reading of the policy during its October meeting Thursday.
The Title IX Coordinator starts the process by speaking with the complainant. Then, the complainant has the choice to file a formal complaint while the coordinator can also file if needed. If a formal request is submitted, an informal resolution between both parties can be made or a Title IX investigation is launched.
The decision maker reviews the evidence and writes a determination of responsibility to each party. Both parties have the option to appeal the claims with the coordinator leading the appeal process.
