Hearing on Sexual Assault and Harassment in Schools
Commissioner Peter Lauterborn called the meeting to order at 5:05 p.m.
Committee members in attendance: Youth Commissioners Max Lantz, Peter Lauterborn, Laura Moir, C.J. Mourning, Shanell Williams, Student Delegate Alan Wong (SFUSD), Student Advisory Committee Member Michelle Wong (SFUSD)
Introductions [All]
Description of the San Francisco Youth Commission by Commissioner Lantz.
Commissioner Lauterborn discussed the purpose and goals of the hearing, which included discussion of the following key questions:
- What can be done and what is currently being done to prevent sexual harassment and assault in schools
- How big is the issue
- What is the best method of reporting and addressing problem
- What can the City & County Departments and the SFUSD do to further support students and school communities in addressing this issue
Commissioner Mourning reviewed the purpose of the hearing and highlighted the following national statistics regarding sexual assault and harassment among young people:
- 1 in 3 teen relationships are abusive
- 1 in 3 girls and 1 in 6 boys are survivors of child sexual assault
- Of the 22.3 million adolescents in the U.S. today, 1.8 million are known to have been victims of serious sexual assault
- 36% of teens report violence in their relationship
- 60% of children who grow up in abusive relationships will repeat the behavior
- Even when girls reported to a teacher or administrator that they had been victims of sexual harassment, nothing was done to the harasser in 45% of the incidents reported
- Only 8% of girls reported that they were aware of their schools having, and enforcing, a policy on sexual harassment
Commissioner Mourning expressed that the hearing was not being held to point fingers at anyone, but to gather information and help put an end to the problem. She then went over logistics for the hearing.
Presentation by John O’Brien, SLASH (Student Leaders Against Sexual Harassment)
- Student-led organization (SLASH) started in 1999 as a result of student interest in addressing sexual harassment. SLASH conducted own research, surveys, and interviews and came to conclusion that sexual harassment was rampant in schools.
- Teachers, students, administrators do not know how to address issue appropriately and fully.
- A resolution was passed by the Board of Education in 1999 supporting the plan of action designed by SLASH. The plan recommended a staff position for the District, a monitoring system, and a reporting system
- SLASH worked to get changes implemented, yet as of today, the position recommend by the Board has not been hired and there has been no comprehensive training for students and school staff.
Mr. O’Brien urged Youth Commission, Board of Supervisors, and Board of Education to deal with issue now.
Student Delegate Wong requested that the Student Advisory Council receive a report on SLASH’s findings.
Presentation by Gerbert Marquez, SLASH
- SLASH worked with the schools and recommended they implement a curriculum and a plan to support students dealing with sexual harassment and assault.
- Discouraged the use of police in schools as a solution.
- Thanked the Commission for holding the hearing.
Questions were asked and discussion followed.
Presentation by Carol Sacco, SF Department on the Status of Women (DOSW)
- In May 2003, DOSW issued a report on the status of girls in San Francisco. The report included benchmarks for success and looked at many issues facing girls.
- Much of the information gathered came directly from the SFUSD Youth Risk Survey.
- Dating violence, sexual harassment issues were big concerns raised by the DOSW report.
- 7% of girls had been hit, slapped by boyfriend
- 27 % of high school and middle school girls reported receiving slurs on weight, size, physical appearance
- In 1998, a local ordinance was passed by Mayor and Board of Supervisors mandating the city to condemn discrimination against girls and to support gender equity, equal opportunity for girls.
Ms. Sacco reviewed additional findings from Girls Report and recommended the American Association of University Women’s report "Harassment-free Hallways".
Questions were asked and discussion followed.
Presentation by Jennifer Cynn, Staff Attorney, Equal Rights Advocates
- ERA was founded in 1974 to combat sex based discrimination
- Legal aspects of sexual harassment and school responsibilities.
- Law states that Schools must:
- have written policies
- display policies
- make it part of orientation
- include in publications
- must have 1 employee who is responsible for carrying out these policies
- Law states that Schools must:
Ms. Cynn recommended the Commission review Title IX guidelines. She expressed ERA’s interest in working further with the Commission address this issue.
Questions were asked and discussion followed.
Public comment: Brian Fox, Director of Peer Resources; Students from Peer Resources; Stacy Blankenbaker, Coordinator of Wellness Initiative, SFUSD
Presentation by Tyna Hector, San Francisco Women Against Rape
- SFWAR program, STAND, conducts presentations dealing with issues such as sexual harassment, assault, and rape.
- Schools are unclear of their responsibilities and scope of problem
- Urged SFUSD to implement a uniform approach so students know where to go to talk to if they are being in harassed, and what their rights are. Also urged that there be more support for people who have been harassed.
- SFWAR does presentations at charter/private schools too - these schools have more interest in working on these issues than public schools
Questions were asked and discussion followed.
SAC Member Michelle Wong commented that she felt bad that Wallenberg High School was being singled out as the school with the most sexual harassment/assault reports. Ms. Hector responded that it was a good thing that there was light being shed on the issue which would hopefully result in something being done to address problem.
Presentation by Iman Nazeeri-Simons, Office of Adolescent Health, SF Department of Public Health
- Commended Youth Commission for holding this hearing and dealing with this issue.
- Sexual Harassment & Assault is a public health issue that affects many people, including men. This is a population level problem for all and that schools do not operate in a vacuum – they are a reflection of what is tolerated and what is considered acceptable in our greater community. We need to look at a community response to this issue.
- The Department of Public Health would like to collaborate with SFUSD and other schools.
- DPH has Community Action Teams (Tenderloin, SOMA, and Mission); community health programs for youth (Balboa and Cole Street clinics); community behavior health services/ wellness centers; CASARC (Child Adolescent Sexual Assault Resource Center)
- Urged the Youth Commission to encourage teacher credentialing programs to add sexual harassment/assault response to curriculum.
- DPH can tighten up coordination with SFUSD.
Questions were asked and discussion followed.
Public Comment: George Jones; Nicki Gibbon, Counselor at A.P.Giannini Middle School; Lorna Ho, Special Assistant to Superintendent, SFUSD; Commissioner Heather Hiles, Board of Education
Presentation by Gwen Chan, Chief Development Officer, San Francisco Unified School District
- This is a great opportunity to address student safety. Safety of students is a top priority. Staff is working with teachers and students to create a safe climate.
- SFUSD currently has the following in place to address school safety:
- Safe-school training for all elementary, middle and high schools; schools are trained on strategies for improving school safety and asked to report back on activities
- April 7 will be a district-wide teach-in , "Day of Kindness"
- School safety curriculum has been translated into Chinese and Spanish
- Safe Schools Task Force- expanded recently to include students and community based organizations, District Attorney’s office, Mayor’s Office on Criminal Justice, and MUNI
- Each school is required to do an academic plan and to demonstrate a safe school climate. Schools have to illustrate what they are doing to make schools safe.
- Stay in School Coalition, including seven student attendance liaisons (truant officers) and soon-to-be-hired Stay in School Coordinator
- Additional supports include: Beacon Centers; school health programs; Wellness Centers; Health advocates at 29 elementary schools; Middle School social workers and nurses; High School health promotion teams (mental health and substance abuse workers); grief counselors
- SFUSD does have curriculum incorporating SLASH’s recommendations, but does not have a designated staff person.
Questions were asked and discussion followed.
Presentation by Susan Wong, Executive Director for Pupil Services, SFUSD
- Pupil Services tracks the number of student suspensions. A school may suspend a student for committing/trying to commit a sexual battery.
- Review of numbers of reports and challenges associated with reporting, including differences in definitions of sexual harassment and responses by schools.
- Superintendent held a staff development training on March 30th at which teachers were educated about issue. Teach-in ("Day of Kindness") is scheduled for April 7
- Recommendations from school staff to decrease sexual assaults included:
- Educating one another by setting good examples and explicit teaching (using the curriculum and class time) were the best methods
- Asking that school staff enforce dress code, not allow students to wear provocative clothing
- Increase school supervision (don’t leave doors unlocked)
- If future incidents occur, attempt to have all families participate in response
- Administrators, deans and counselors agreed to do follow up presentations after April 7th Day of Kindness
- All students need reminders of appropriate behavior, consequences of inappropriate behavior- weekly
- Administrators direct special education teachers to use counseling time to work with special education students
- Peer Resources’ activities- using peers
- Allow community based organizations to engage students
- Security aides should be present daily
- Students should use school hotline to report issues
- Review of protocols for child abuse and sexual harassment, protocols for doing an incident report
- SFUSD is working with many city departments, including Department of Children, Youth and Their Families, Department of Human Services, Community Mental Health, and the San Francisco Police Department.
- Additional monies and resources for Wellness Centers and counselors would help the schools to address the problem.
Questions were asked and discussion followed.
Public Comment: Dr. Frank Thom, Assistant Superintendent, SFUSD
Presentation by Colleen Fatooh, Coordinator of School Resource Officer Program, Juvenile Division, San Francisco Police Department
- There are 26 officers who work full time in schools.
- Different definitions for "sexual harassment", "sexual assault", and "sexual battery"
- There is a lot of harassment and assault that youth are unaware of. There is a lot of verbal taunting with sexual overtones. SRO’s host assemblies and inform students about what actions are punishable.
- It is unclear if statistics reflect increase in behavior or in reporting.
- SRO’s receive training at police academy, and additional training on sexual assault/battery in schools. SRO’s are there to make schools safer for students and conduct site-assessments to ensure buildings are safe for students.
- Recommended consistent disciplinary policies.
- If sexual harassment or assault occurs, officers will speak with both parties. If it is determined that it is a criminal offense, it is handled as such. If it is a disciplinary issue, the school handles it.
Questions were asked and discussion followed.
Public Comment: Commissioner Mark Sanchez, Board of Education
Initial committee reaction and discussion of possible next steps:
Student Delegate Alan Wong shared his reaction to hearing. He expressed concern that sometimes incidents are not reported because students don’t take them seriously enough or they don’t want their peers to see them as sexually harassed. He expressed that teachers need to take responsibility for reporting incidents and to take it seriously (not saying, "boys will be boys"). He concluded by saying that everyone needs to take this seriously so that something will be done.
Commissioner Williams thanked everyone in attendance and recommended the following:
- More parent involvement
- Additional training for school administrators
- More community involvement and better relationships between community organizations and schools
- A staff person to deal specifically with this issue
- Closer look at issue of sexual orientation harassment
- New process for how incidents are reported and student-involvement in the creation of this process
Commissioner Moir thanked everyone for answering the questions asked. She recommended that teachers and administrators need to be better informed about what to do and how to look for signs of sexual harassment or assault and that if teachers knows that harassment is happening, they can better stop it.
Commissioner Mourning expressed that she was happy with hearing and that she enjoyed it because the Committee was able to gather a lot of different perspectives. She stated that she felt there was a lot to do and looked forward to partnering with schools to address the problem.
Commissioner Lauterborn expressed that he was happy that any miscommunication was cleared up about the hearing. He had hoped to hear from more students but understood that sexual harassment and assault are difficult issues to talk about.
Student Delegate Alan Wong concluded the hearing by stating that complaints of sexual harassment and assault should never be dismissed and that harassment should never be normalized.
Meeting was adjourned at 8:35 pm.