LegalReader.com  ·  Legal News, Analysis, & Commentary

News & Politics

Should Private Schools Require Outside Oversight for New Hampshire Sexual Harassment Claims?


— December 15, 2021

The report also includes sexual harassment and bullying concerning a group of students resulted in St. Paul’s hiring an outside investigator.


The state’s new compliance overseer at St. Paul’s School is reporting 10 new incidents of sexual assault in his first biannual report.  As a compliance overseer, the duty is to make sure the school complies with all mandatory reporting laws when it concerns reports of sexual assault and other crimes on campus, or off-campus and concerning students and staff.  A recent report listed 10 new claims of sexual assault that came in since late January, including four active cases, and six cases considered historical, meaning it was a report of a past assault. Most of the reports concern sexual assault involving reported victims too young to legally give consent to sexual activity.  The report also includes sexual harassment and bullying concerning a group of students resulted in St. Paul’s hiring an outside investigator. Before any students involved could be disciplined, however, they withdrew from the school, according to the report.

The school agreed to appoint an overseer as part of an unprecedented 2018 settlement agreement that allowed the school and members of its leadership to avoid criminal charges in a sex abuse investigation in exchange for state oversight on campus for up to five years.  Student and loved ones who suspect, or are victims of sexual harassment should contact a sexual harassment attorney in New Hampshire.

Address and report sexual misconduct

According to an EEOC task force report, victims of sex-based harassment often deny, or tone down an egregious situation to avoid, or ignore the negative behavior.  Talk to sexual harassment attorneys regarding concerns that the conduct by a person who is in a position of authority may be controlling their work, or school activities.   The victim should directly inform the harasser that their conduct is unwelcome and insist that it stops if they are not afraid. Educational institutional policies should be referenced and a victim should use any complaint mechanism, or grievance system available. A positive settlement award may be the result of a strong case presented by experienced legal counsel. 

Employer awareness

Woman placing sticky notes on the wall during a meeting; image by You X Ventures, via Unsplash.com.
Woman placing sticky notes on the wall during a meeting; image by You X Ventures, via Unsplash.com.

A sexual harassment law firm can explain tips toward prevention, as it is the best tool to eliminate sexual harassment in learning institutions. School employers are encouraged to take steps necessary to prevent sexual harassment from occurring. They should clearly communicate to employees that sexual harassment will not be tolerated. They can do so by providing sexual harassment training to their employees and by establishing an effective complaint, or grievance process and taking immediate and appropriate action when an employee complains. Sexual harassment lawyers can assist human resource departments as they develop and maintain standard operating work policies to support methods that deter sexual harassment in the workplace.  

Leadership

Supervisors and other responsible department personnel who observe, are informed of, or reasonably suspect sexual harassment claims might be filed, should immediately report such incidents and initiate prompt investigation. Supervisors should take effective measures to ensure no further apparent, or alleged harassment of the victim occurs, pending completion of an EEOC investigation, or other legal action. Employers should attempt to maintain privacy of the alleged victim and harasser while a complaint is being investigated.  Necessary steps should also be taken to ensure that the employee victim is protected from retaliation for reporting sexual harassment in compliance with federal laws.  

Sources:

https://www.justice.gov/crt/fcs/TitleVI-Overview

https://www.ada.gov/

https://metoomvmt.org/get-to-know-us/history-inception/

New Sex Assault Reports at St. Paul’s School

Join the conversation!