school policy: promoting healthy relationships at school teen dating violence prevention: why middle...

School Policy: Promoting School Policy: Promoting Healthy Relationships at Healthy Relationships at

SchoolSchoolTeen Dating Violence Prevention: Teen Dating Violence Prevention:

Why Middle School MattersWhy Middle School MattersJuly 20, 2010July 20, 2010

Barri Rosenbluth, SafePlace, AustinBarri Rosenbluth, SafePlace, Austin

HarassmentHarassment

““SafePlace is committed to providing a SafePlace is committed to providing a workplace free of harassment…Report any workplace free of harassment…Report any incident of harassment immediately to the incident of harassment immediately to the Human Resource Director. The Human Human Resource Director. The Human Resource Director must report any and all Resource Director must report any and all claims of harassment to the Executive claims of harassment to the Executive Director, who will investigate all such Director, who will investigate all such claims and take corrective action as claims and take corrective action as necessary...”necessary...”

(SafePlace Employee Manual, 2010)(SafePlace Employee Manual, 2010)

Making a Case for School Making a Case for School PolicyPolicy

Inform students and parents of Inform students and parents of their rights and responsibilities.their rights and responsibilities.

Make it easier for students to Make it easier for students to report harassment or abuse.report harassment or abuse.

Provide a protocol for Provide a protocol for administrators.administrators.

Increase safety for targeted Increase safety for targeted students.students.

Prevent further perpetration.Prevent further perpetration. Promote healthy relationships Promote healthy relationships

through educational programs for through educational programs for students, parents, and school students, parents, and school personnel.personnel.

Improve school climate.Improve school climate.

Local Policy DevelopmentLocal Policy Development 1989-SafePlace begins providing services in 1989-SafePlace begins providing services in

AISD.AISD. 1997-Primary prevention initiative funded by 1997-Primary prevention initiative funded by

CDC includes policy development in local CDC includes policy development in local schools.schools.

2002-AISD convenes task force to develop 2002-AISD convenes task force to develop district-wide bullying policy following serious district-wide bullying policy following serious incident.incident.

2003-Ortralla Mosley killed at local high school 2003-Ortralla Mosley killed at local high school by ex-boyfriend-Title IX lawsuit.by ex-boyfriend-Title IX lawsuit.

2004-AISD policy expanded to address dating 2004-AISD policy expanded to address dating violence, sexual harassment and bullying.violence, sexual harassment and bullying.

2007-TX passes law requiring schools to address 2007-TX passes law requiring schools to address TDV becoming 1TDV becoming 1stst of 10 states. of 10 states.

Austin ISD Policy Concerning Austin ISD Policy Concerning Dating Violence, Sexual Dating Violence, Sexual

Harassment and BullyingHarassment and Bullying

Notice of parent and student rightsNotice of parent and student rights Student complaint formStudent complaint form Student-on-student altercation response Student-on-student altercation response

chartchart Stay away agreementStay away agreement Embedded into existing policy and Embedded into existing policy and

student code of conduct student code of conduct www.austinisd.org

Notice of Parent and Notice of Parent and Student RightsStudent Rights

““AISD is committed to providing a positive AISD is committed to providing a positive learning environment for all students that learning environment for all students that enhances personal safety and promotes enhances personal safety and promotes respect, dignity and equality among respect, dignity and equality among students. High standards are expected for students. High standards are expected for both academic achievement and for both academic achievement and for behavior…AISD strives to ensure that all behavior…AISD strives to ensure that all of its students and employees are free of its students and employees are free from bullying and harassment including from bullying and harassment including violence in students’ relationships.”violence in students’ relationships.”

Expect RespectExpect RespectProgramProgram

School-based School-based support groupssupport groups

Youth leadership Youth leadership training training

School-wide policy, School-wide policy, training, prevention training, prevention educationeducation

Community Community collaborations-Start collaborations-Start Strong Austin!Strong Austin!

Texas Teen Dating Violence Texas Teen Dating Violence LawLaw

TEC 37.0831 (2007)TEC 37.0831 (2007) School policy must address:School policy must address: Definition of dating Definition of dating

violence violence Safety planningSafety planning Enforcement of Enforcement of

protective ordersprotective orders School-based School-based

alternatives to protective alternatives to protective ordersorders

Training for teachers Training for teachers and administratorsand administrators

Counseling for affected Counseling for affected studentsstudents

Awareness education for Awareness education for students and parents.students and parents.

Start Strong National Start Strong National Model School Policy Model School Policy ObjectivesObjectives

1.1. To provide a model policy for To provide a model policy for middle schools that emphasizes middle schools that emphasizes primary prevention of teen dating primary prevention of teen dating abuseabuse

2.2. To integrate dating abuse To integrate dating abuse prevention strategies into positive prevention strategies into positive school environment initiatives school environment initiatives

3.3. To engage students, parents, and To engage students, parents, and educators in modeling, teaching, educators in modeling, teaching, and promoting healthy relationshipsand promoting healthy relationships

National Model School Policy National Model School Policy Essential ElementsEssential Elements

Prevention Coordinator Curriculum on healthy

relationships Training for school personnel Parent engagement Youth leadership Intervention strategies

Policy: Part of Social Policy: Part of Social ChangeChange

Thank You!Thank You!

Barri RosenbluthBarri RosenbluthBrosenbluth@SafePlace.org

(512) 356-1628(512) 356-1628