Title IX - Gender Equity & Sexual Harassment

If you believe that you, your child, or a member of our school district has experienced discrimination on the basis of sex, please immediately report the discrimination to the Title IX Coordinator at (907) 452-2000 ext 11379 or titleix@k12northstar.org

Fairbanks North Star Borough School District Title IX/EEO Specialists are charged with fairly addressing and reported incidents of sexual discrimination, sexual harassment, and sexual violence that affects our staff/faculty and our students. We highly encourage you to reach out to them to report any suspected incidence of discrimination.

You can also report incidences of discrimination, assault, or harassment by clicking here. This Incident Report can be submitted to the Title IX Coordinator via email or delivered in person to the Student EEO Office or, for employee concerns, FNSBSD Human Resources.

We are committed to a prompt preliminary inquiry to determine if discrimination has occurred. If so, we will conduct an investigation that is thorough, reliable, impartial, prompt, and fair. We aim to resolve all investigations within sixty (60) days.

Contact Information

Student Concerns:

Sean Ottoson
Student EEO/Title IX Specialist
(907) 452-2000 x11379

Employee Concerns:

Janejira Smith
Employee Relations Specialist
(907) 452-2000 x11395

Resources

RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network)

U.S. Department of Education

Dept. of Education: Title IX

What is Title IX?

Title IX is a federal law that prohibits any educational institution that receives federal financial assistance (such as grants or student loans) from discriminating on the basis of sex.

Source: U.S. Department of Education

"No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal Financial assistance."

Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 ("Title IX"), is a federal civil rights law that prohibits sex-based discrimination in all educational programs and activities, including athletic programs. No person shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity operated by the District. While Title IX had a significant impact on equal opportunity in school sports, the focus of the law is currently aimed at prevention of and response to incidents of sexual harassment and sexual violence.

The Fairbanks North Star Borough School District is committed to a policy of nondiscrimination on the basis of sex, which includes promoting and maintaining a safe and respectful school environment free from sexual harassment or sexual violence. Sexual harassment and sexual violence are forms of sex discrimination in that they deny or limit an individual's ability to participate in and/or benefit from the FNSBSD's programs or activities.

Title IX information provided here applies to every school site and to all district programs and activities.

Title IX requires the District to have a coordinator to oversee compliance efforts and to adopt a grievance procedure to respond to alleged Title IX violations. This work is carried out by the District's Student EEO/Title IX Specialist and for employee related matters, the District's Employee Relations Specialist.

Click here to view current 2020 Title IX Regulations

What are my rights under Title IX?

The FNSBSD is committed to providing an adequate, impartial and reliable response to harassment. The District's process for addressing Sexual Harassment and Discrimination are grounded in fairness and provide support for all parties. The process includes procedural safeguards that ensure notice and a meaningful opportunity to participate in the process.

Students have the right to equal learning opportunities in their schools.
Employees and students have the right to fair and equitable treatment, and they shall not be discriminated against on the basis of sex.
Students and employees may not be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to harassment or other forms of discrimination on the basis of sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression in any program or activity.
Students may not be required to take and or may not be denied enrollment in a course because of their sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression.
Students have the right to be evaluated and graded without regard to their sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression.
Students will be provided counseling and guidance that is not discriminatory.
Counselors may not urge students to enroll in particular classes or programs or activities based on sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression.
Schools must offer female and male students equal opportunities to play sports.
Equipment and supplies, game and practice schedules, budget, coaching and travel allowances, facilities, publicity, support services, and tutoring offered to teams are to be equivalent between male and female teams.
You have the right to have access to the Title IX Coordinator to answer questions you might have regarding Title IX.

What is Sex-Based Harassment?

Sex-based harassment can take multiple forms. Harassers can be students, school staff, or even someone visiting the school, such as a student or employee from another school.

Quid Pro Quo Harassment:

An employee, agent or other person authorized to provide an aid, benefit, or service, under the school’s education program or activity explicitly or impliedly conditioning the provision of such an aid, benefit or service, on a person’s participation in unwelcome sexual conduct.

Hostile Environment Harassment:

Unwelcome sex-based conduct that, based on the totality of the circumstances, is subjectively and objectively offensive and is so severe or pervasive that it limits or denies a person’s ability to participate in or benefit from the school’s education program or activity.

Specific Offenses:

Sexual Assault: An offense that meets the definition of rape, fondling, incest, or statutory rape
Dating Violence: Violence committed by a person who is or has been in a social relationship of a romantic or intimate nature with the victim.
Domestic Violence: Includes the use or attempted use of physical abuse or sexual abuse, or a pattern of any other coercive behavior committed, enabled, or solicited to gain or maintain power and control over a victim, including verbal, psychological, economic, or technological abuse that may or may not constitute criminal behavior, by a person who—
- is a current or former spouse or intimate partner of the victim, or person similarly situated to a spouse of the victim;
- is cohabitating, or has cohabitated, with the victim as a spouse or intimate partner;
- shares a child in common with the victim; or
- commits acts against a youth or adult victim who is protected from those acts under the family or domestic violence laws of the jurisdiction.
Stalking: Engaging in a course of conduct directed at a specific person that would cause a reasonable person to fear for his or her safety or the safety of others; or suffer substantial emotional distress.

Source: U.S. Department of Education

How do I file a Title IX Complaint?

The District takes allegations of sexual discrimination very seriously. If you, or someone you know has been subjected to sex-based discrimination, you can file a report BY CLICKING HERE.

You can also report incidences of sexual discrimination directly to the following:

For employment related Title IX issues, contact:

Janejira Smith

Employee Relations Specialist

Human Resources Department

Fairbanks North Star Borough School District

520 Fifth Ave

Fairbanks, AK 99701

(907) 452-2000 x11395

For student related Title IX issues, contact:

Sean Ottoson

Student EEO/Title IX Specialist

Fairbanks North Star Borough School District

520 Fifth Ave

Fairbanks, AK 99701

(907) 452-2000 x11379

Does Title IX protect only students?

Title IX Grievance Process

Is there someone who can help answer my questions about Title IX?

Yes. All school districts, colleges, and universities receiving federal financial assistance must designate at least one employee to coordinate their efforts to comply with and carry out their responsibilities under Title IX.

For employment related Title IX issues, contact:

Janejira Smith

Employee Relations Specialist

Human Resources Department

Fairbanks North Star Borough School District

520 Fifth Ave

Fairbanks, AK 99701

(907) 452-2000 x11395

For student related Title IX issues, contact:

Sean Ottoson

Student EEO/Title IX Specialist

Fairbanks North Star Borough School District

520 Fifth Ave

Fairbanks, AK 99701

(907) 452-2000 x11379

Are all programs in the FNSB School District covered by Title IX?

Yes. All programs in a school are covered if the school district receives federal financial assistance. Title IX covers all the operations of a school that receives financial assistance including academics, extracurricular activities, athletics, and other programs. Title IX applies to the actions of a school regardless of where they occur, including those that take place in the facilities of the school, on a school bus, at a class or training program sponsored by the school at another location, or elsewhere off-campus if it is impacting the education of the student.

Source: U.S. Department of Education