Sexual harassment and gender violence in schools and other youth settings are often hidden by the use of other terms. “Bullying,” a popular and more comfortable term, is frequently used to describe these sexually harassing, sexually violent incidents.  Within formal and non-formal educational settings, adults often use the term “bullying” – whether innocently or as shorthand – to describe sexual harassment and gender violence behaviors that are prohibited under either civil or criminal law. Doing so obscures the serious nature of these incidents, deflects the organization’s responsibility and potential liability, and moves us away from the discourse of rights that schools and other youth organizations must provide to all young people. In this webinar, you’ll learn more about Federal Civil Rights law Title IX—which requires that schools and other educational programs that receive federal funding provide environments free from sex discrimination and sexual harassment. Participants will explore ways to create environments that are safe and equitable for all youth.

The webinar will feature sexual harassment expert, Nan Stein, Ed.D., of Wellesley College, Center for Research on Women, who has conducted research on sexual harassment and teen dating violence for more than 30 years. As a former middle school teacher, drug and alcohol counselor, and gender equity specialist, Nan has collaborated with teachers’ unions and sexual assault/domestic violence agencies throughout the U.S.  She has authored many book chapters, law review articles and academic journal articles – as well as commentaries for the mainstream media and the educational press. Nan often serves as an expert witness in Title IX/sex discrimination-sexual harassment lawsuits heard in U.S. Federal courts. In 1992, Nan joined the Center for Research on Women at Wellesley College (the largest and oldest women’s research center in the U.S.) as a senior research scientist. Her research portfolio has been funded by the National Institute of Justice of the U.S Department of Justice, U.S. Department of Education, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Open Society Institute of the Soros Foundation, and other private family foundations. In 2007, she received the Outstanding Contribution to Education award from the Harvard University Graduate School of Education where she received her doctorate of education in 1981.

The webinar will also feature Janet Olsen, program leader, and Karen Pace, senior program leader, who work in the area of social and emotional health with Michigan State University Extension health and nutrition programs. They are the co-authors of the Be SAFE: Safe, Affirming and Fair Environments core curriculum.

Note: There is a $10 registration fee for this webinar (and an additional $5.00 cost for those wanting 1 Social Work Continuing Education hour). Register at the following link: http://events.anr.msu.edu/SexualHarassmentWebinar/

Registrants will be sent the link to the webinar on or before November 18, 2014.