HARASSMENT / SEXUAL HARASSMENT

Sacred Heart Academy strives to establish a Christian, professional and supportive educational community for administrators, faculty and staff, parents, and students. The Diocese of St. Petersburg has adopted and promulgated a harassment policy for its schools that addresses behaviors that interfere with fulfilling the school’s mission. We at Sacred Heart Academy condemn any form of harassment and will address all credible allegations in accord with the diocesan policy. Harassment is defined as communication or conduct designed to reduce the dignity of the individual in the form of requests for favors, unwelcome teasing and other contact, written, physical, visual or verbal. Sexual harassment is any unwelcome advances, requests for sexual favors and other verbal, visual or physical conduct of a sexual nature.

Forms of Harassment

• Demeaning comments
• Repeated annoyance
• Creating an intimidating, hostile, offensive or unsafe environment
• Suggesting or demanding involvement, accompanied by implied or explicit threats
• Jokes of a demeaning or sexual nature
• Touching
• Showing of sexually explicit pictures, cartoons, etc.
• Requesting sexual favors
• Laughing about sexual references
• Passing on stories about others (true or untrue)
• Impeding or blocking movement
• Demeaning or obscene notes, letters or invitations
• Visual leering
• Inappropriate gestures
• Any act of retaliation against an individual who complains of harassment

All reported incidents of harassment would be investigated according to diocesan policy.