*****For Immediate Release*****

(Concord) A national study of American high schools shows that nearly 80% of students experience some form of sexual harassment during their time in school. To address this problem, the New Hampshire Commission on the Status of Women's Gender Equity in Education Task Force, made up of 12 state, non-profit and private organizations, has published a manual to assist schools in responding to sexual harassment.

The goal of the manual, which is being distributed to every school district in the state, is to guide school personnel in fulfilling the requirements of Title IX, the federal anti-gender discrimination regulations, and the New Hampshire Pupil Safety Law, which defines behaviors which are likely to intimidate or provoke a violent or disorderly response from students being treated in bullying ways.

Under the auspices of the Commission's Gender Equity in Education Task Force, the manual, which is also available on the Commission website, will guide Title IX Coordinators and other school personnel by defining sexual harassment, providing examples of the behavior, and directing educators in methods of preventing sexual harassment.

Title IX Coordinators are required by law to enforce non-discrimination rules. The new manual will instruct them how to do this, and give them specific details for development of harassment policies and grievance procedures for victims of sexual harassment.

The Commission on the Status of Women has for several years provided sexual harassment prevention training for New Hampshire educators through conferences and training programs. According to Jane Stapleton, coordinator of the Gender Equity in Education Task Force, which developed the manual, a user-friendly tool for site-based educators has long been needed. "Title IX Coordinators are frequently new in their positions, and need to have an immediately usable guide with specific facts and steps they can take to assist their colleagues and students in addressing sexual harassment and bullying problems. We believe this manual will provide that service for them," Ms. Stapleton added.

Veteran English teacher Mary Fosher from Raymond High School, referring to the new manual, said "Given the transient nature of student populations, sexual harassment awareness education needs to be recurrent, not a one-time effort. Faculties, too, need yearly training to review policies and procedures, if they are going to be effective in dealing with sensitive and often difficult situations. This manual for Title IX Coordinators not only provides coherent information, but can assure continuity of response, building-wide as well as district-wide."

Funding for development and production of the Title IX Coordinator's Sexual Harassment Manual was provided by the New Hampshire Department of Education along with the NH Public Risk Management Exchange (Primex³).

The Commission on the Status of Women is a state agency that works on behalf of the diverse population of the state's women to remedy historical and institutional gender discrimination. The Commission's web site contains the new sexual harassment manual as well as other information about the activities and services, or phone 603-271-2660.