Malverne schools, U.S. Rep. Rice outline sexual harassment policies

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Defining sexual harassment
According to the New York State Department of Human Rights, sexual harassment in the form of a “hostile environment” consists of words, signs, jokes, pranks, intimidation or physical violence that are of a sexual nature, or that are directed at an individual because of that person’s gender.
Sexual harassment also consists of any unwanted verbal or physical advances, sexually explicit derogatory statements, or sexually discriminatory remarks made by someone in the workplace that are offensive or objectionable to the recipient, cause discomfort or humiliation, or interfere with the recipient’s job performance.
In the Malverne Union Free School District, comprising more than 1,600 students and 250 staff members, the district reviews its sexual harassment policy each year. Steven Gilhuley, assistant superintendent for curriculum, instruction and educational services, said the district holds training sessions at the beginning of each school year for staff and students.
“Our policy is listed in our teacher and student handbooks so the information is out there and the information is talked about,” Gilhuley said. “We try to make sure that we thoroughly explain what our policy is so that everybody has a strong understanding when we start the school year.”

Gilhuley said that no recent incidents of sexual harassment have been reported, but if one were alleged, an investigation would take place within the following days.

Congresswoman Rice speaks out
U.S. Rep. Kathleen Rice, a Democrat from Garden City, has emerged as one of the most vocal proponents of ending sexual harassment in Congress once and for all. She appeared recently on CNN to call on Rep. John Conyers, 88, a Democrat from Michigan, to resign after allegations of sexual harassment surfaced against the 52-year congressman and one-time civil rights activist. He stepped down last week.
Many people, it appeared, were at first reluctant to call on Conyers to resign. He was, his supporters said, an icon, having served in the Korean War, marched during the civil rights movement and helped found the Congressional Black Caucus. Rice was not among those who were swayed by his record.
“When the recent wave of credible allegations of sexual harassment and assault reached Rep. John Conyers, my colleague in the House and a fellow Democrat, I felt we needed to show that we would no longer allow ourselves or our colleagues to be held to a double standard,” Rice said in a statement. “If we believe the women, as so many of us say we do, then we can’t just go on serving alongside and working with colleagues who we believe have preyed on women.
“That’s the standard we expect in the media, in entertainment and throughout the private sector, and the standard for public servants should, if anything, be even higher,” she continued. “That doesn’t mean that every politician who faces a single accusation should resign immediately. It means that if we believe the women, we should act accordingly. I believe the women who accused Rep. Conyers.”
She went on to say that she also believed the women who accused U.S. Sen. Al Franken, Rep. Ruben Kihuen and Rep. Blake Farenthold.
“I believe and I hope that we’ve made real progress on this issue over the past two weeks,” Rice concluded. “We’ve identified what the standard should be for politicians who violate the public trust by harassing or assaulting women. Now we need to stick to it.”
Nakeem Grant contributed to this story.

Have an opinion about sexual harassment? Send your letter to the editor to ngrant@liherald.com.