Policy 7:185

Students

Teen Dating Violence Prohibited

Engaging in teen dating violence that takes place at school, on school property, at school-sponsored activities, or in vehicles used for school-provided transportation is prohibited. For purposes of this policy, the term teen dating violence occurs whenever a student who is 13 to 19 years of age uses or threatens to use physical, mental, or emotional abuse to control an individual in the dating relationship; or uses or threatens to use sexual violence in the dating relationship.

“Dating” or “dating relationship” means an ongoing social relationship of a romantic or intimate nature between two persons. “Dating” or “dating relationship” does not include a casual relationship or ordinary fraternization between two persons in a school or social context. 

The Superintendent or designee shall develop and maintain a program to respond to incidents of teen dating violence that:
  1. Fully implements and enforces each of the following Board policies:
    1. 2:260, Uniform Grievance Procedure. This policy provides a method for any student, parent/guardian, employee, or community member to file a complaint if the person believes that the Board of Education, its employees, or its agents have violated the person’s rights under the state or federal constitution, state or federal statute, Board policy, or various enumerated bases.
    2. 2:265, Title IX Sexual Harassment Grievance Procedure. This policy prohibits any person from engaging in sexual harassment in violation of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. Prohibited conduct includes but is not limited to sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking.
    3. 7:20, Harassment of Students Prohibited. This policy prohibits any person from harassing intimidating, or bullying a student based on the student’s actual or perceived characteristics of sex; sexual orientation; gender identity; and gender-related identity or expression (this policy includes more protected statuses).
    4. 7:180, Prevention of and Response to Bullying, Intimidation, and Harassment. This policy prohibits students from engaging in bullying, intimidation, and harassment at school, school-related events and electronically. Prohibited conduct includes threats, stalking, physical violence, sexual harassment, sexual violence, theft, public humiliation, destruction of property, or retaliation for asserting or alleging an act of bullying.
  2. Encourages anyone with information about incidents of teen dating violence to report them to any of the following individuals:
    1. Any school staff member. School staff shall respond to incidents of teen dating violence by following the District’s established procedures for the prevention, identification, investigation, and response to bullying and school violence.
    2. The Nondiscrimination Coordinator, Building Principal, Assistant Building Principal, Dean of Students, or a Complaint Manager identified in Board Policy 7:20, Harassment of Students.
  3. Incorporates age-appropriate health education and social-emotional instruction in grades 7 and 8, in accordance with the District’s comprehensive health education program in Board Policy 6:60, Curriculum Content. This includes incorporating student social and emotional development into the District’s educational program as required by State law and in alignment with Board Policy 6:65, Student Social and Emotional Development.
  4. Incorporates education for school staff on teen dating violence.
  5. Notifies students and parents/guardians of this policy.

Adopted: January 27, 2014

Revised: January 23, 2017; December 14, 2020