Wednesday, May 10, 2006

Lebo: Harassment Session Result of Sex List

The post title is the unfortunate headline from today's Post-Gazette, which catalogs the remedial steps that the Mt. Lebanon School District has on the schedule:
--ongoing suspension for one student involved in the list. The boy's lawyer said that it's " "a rather severe punishment. ... We think it's too much." As to his parents, "[t]hey are not happy." I'm hoping that this means that the parents are not happy with the son, rather than not happy with the school district. Somehow, and unfortunately, though, I don't think that's the case.
--an in-service day for teachers at the high school next week, on sexual harassment. I assume that this will take place next Monday, which the students already have off.
--follow-on "group discussions" between students and administrators on the same topic. No word on which students or which administrators.
--athletic coaches will be put through sexual harassment training and then will conduct sessions for their athletes.
--"District officials also plan to review the student handbook and in the future include a more detailed section on sexual harassment, likely referencing the "Top 25" list and other specific examples of sexual harassment. The district also plans to review the sexual harassment curriculum taught in health classes and will review its programs involving sexual harassment at the middle school level . . . ."

Can I continue to be unimpressed by the timidity of the school district's actions? A neighbor of mine suggested something that I thought was interesting, particularly since all high school students are required to do community service: All of the students involved in producing and distributing "the list" should be made to serve some number of hours at a rape crisis counseling center.
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