Knox County Schools does not discriminate in its programs nor does it tolerate harassment for any reason including, but not limited to, harassment on the basis of actual or perceived gender, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, religion, race, color or any other Federally identified protected area. Harassment of any student will not be tolerated.1 Harassment is defined as conduct, advances, gestures or words of a nature which:

1. Unreasonably interfere with the student's work or educational opportunities;
2. Create an intimidating, hostile or offensive learning environment;
3. Imply that submission to such conduct is made an explicit or implicit term of receiving grades or
   credit;
4. Imply that submission to or rejection of such conduct will be used as a basis for determining the
   student's grades and/or participation in a student activity.

Victims of harassment shall report these conditions to the immediate supervisor of the offending person
(or to the teacher or counselor), the building level administrator, the Director of Human Resources, or the Office of the Superintendent. The first person in the supervisory chain shall also report these conditions to Title IX, Title VI, 504 and ADA Coordinator. Confidentiality shall be maintained and no reprisals or retaliation shall occur as a result of good faith reporting of charges of harassment.

In determining whether alleged conduct constitutes harassment, all of the circumstances, including the
nature of the conduct and the context in which the alleged conduct occurred, shall be investigated. The
Superintendent/designee shall be responsible for investigating all complaints of harassment that cannot be resolved at the building level. If satisfactory resolution of the complaint is not reached, the student may appeal the matter to the Superintendent, and ultimately, to the Board.

Any student found to have engaged in harassment shall be subject to disciplinary actions, including, but
not limited to, verbal warning, suspension, or expulsion, within requirements of state and federal law.

Legal Reference:

1. T.C.A. § 49-6-4503.

Cross References:

• Title IX.
• Knox County Board of Education Policy C-260 Sexual Harassment and Sex-Based Discrimination.

Approve as to Legal Form
By Knox County Law Director 11/17/2023
/Gary T. Dupler/Deputy Law Director