Office of Student Protections & Title IX (OSP) Overview
What is it?
In 2018, CPS established its Office of Student Protections and Title IX (OSP) to create clear pathways for students to report incidents of sexual misconduct, enhance policies and procedures for responding to reports of sexual harm, and bolster our efforts in coordinating support for all parties involved in a sexual misconduct incident.
CPS Title IX Policy:
CPS does not allow discrimination and or harassment on the basis of race, sexual orientation or gender in schools and school activities. For more information on Title IX as well as policies and protocols click here.
School Responsibility
The U.S. Department of Education outlines that every school has three responsibilities regarding sexual assault and harassment protocols.
Every School Must Have And Distribute A Policy Against Sex Discrimination and Harassment
Every School Must Have A Title IX Coordinator
Every School Must Have And Make Known Procedures For Students To File Complaints Of Sex Discrimination and Harassment
Steps to Report
As students, parents, guardians, and school community members, if you know of any incidents of inappropriate conduct between adults and children, please come forward in the interest of protecting our students from harm.
If you need to report a sexual abuse incident at school:
Von Steuben Title IX Representative: Mr. Huy, Email: rjhuy@cps.edu, Room: 110
OR
Reach out to your counselor or another trusted adult in the building to let them know what happened.
You can also report the incident directly to the Office of Student Protections:
Call: 773-535-4400
Make report online by clicking HERE
Submit complaints to osp@cps.edu
OSP will work with you to hear your report, investigate, and create safety measures at school. OSP can also provide guidance on reporting to the police, or getting other supports such as counseling.
You can also receive confidential support:
Chicago Rape Crisis Hotline, Call: 888-293-2080
The Rape Crisis Hotline provides survivors of sexual violence and their caregivers immediate support, crisis intervention, and referrals for the city of Chicago and surrounding suburbs. Please note: Just because you call, it does not mean it will become an investigation.
Confidentiality
Von Steuben takes all accusations seriously. The number one priority of the school is the safety of all students. Every student has the right for their privacy to be protected. Therefore, school officials are unable to discuss these types of matters with anyone who is not directly involved in investigations. Information regarding case findings and any consequences are confidential and are not publicly shared.
Interventions and Consequences
Students who violate this Policy are subject to disciplinary action under the Student Code of Conduct. The school must provide remedies that are designed to restore or preserve equal access to the schools education program or activity. Consequences do not extend beyond those explicitly outlined in policy.
Examples:
Student, Parent/Guardian, and Administrator conference focused on expectation violated, cause of behavior, and strategy to prevent recurrence
Recommended instructive, corrective, or restorative response
Request for assignment to an intervention program by the Chief Executive Officer or designee
Skill-building in-school suspension, out-of-school suspension, or combination in-school and out of school suspension for up to five days.
A student may be suspended for up to ten days with written justification submitted for approval in the District student information system. When the suspension is assigned, create a plan for preventing future behavior incidents, restoring relationships, and addressing student needs.
Out-of-school suspensions of three days or less may be used only if the student’s continuing presence in school would pose a threat to school safety or a disruption to other students’ learning opportunities.
Out-of-school suspensions longer than three days may be used only if other appropriate and available behavioral and disciplinary interventions have been exhausted.
Definitions
Protected Categories: Protected by federal, state or local law, ordinance, or regulation includes:
Race, Color, Religion or creed, National origin or ancestry, Sex (including gender, pregnancy, sexual orientation, and gender identity), Age, Physical or mental disability, Veteran status, Genetic information.
Discrimination: Treating an individual less favorably because of their membership in one or more of the Protected Categories.
Harassment: Unwelcome verbal, nonverbal, visual, or physical conduct that is based on an individual’s membership in one or more of the Protected Categories.
Unwelcome conduct may include, but is not limited to, bullying, intimidation, offensive jokes, slurs, name calling, assaults or threats, touching, ridicule or mockery, insults or put-downs, offensive objects or pictures, messages sent via email, text or social media, sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, conduct of a sexual nature, or any other sex-based conduct.
Sexual Assault: Any sexual act or attempted sexual act directed against a complainant, without the consent of the complainant including instances where the complainant is incapable of giving consent.
Forcible Rape - Penetration of the vagina or anus with any body part or object, or oral penetration by a sex organ of complainant, without the consent of the complainant.
Forcible Sodomy - Oral or anal sexual intercourse with another person, non-consensually.
Forcible Fondling - The non-consensual touching of the private body parts of another person for the purpose of sexual gratification.
Statutory Rape - Nonforcible sexual intercourse with a person who is under the statutory age of consent of 17 years old (or 18 years old when the perpetrator is in a position of trust or authority, such as a teacher or coach).
Dating Violence: Violence committed by a person who is or has been in a social relationship of a romantic or intimate nature with the complainant.
Dating violence includes, but is not limited to, sexual or physical abuse or the threat of such abuse.
Cyberbullying: Using information and communication technologies to bully.
Retaliation: Any adverse action taken against a Covered Individual for having made a complaint or report of Discrimination, Harassment, Sexual Harassment or Sexual Misconduct. An adverse action can include discipline or denial of access to a service or benefit.
Sexual Misconduct: A form of sex or gender-based discrimination or harassment that includes any conduct that is of sexual nature that is unwelcomed and interferes with an individual’s educational or opportunities. CPS uses six categories to breakdown sexual misconduct incidents.
Grooming, inappropriate touching, sexual electronic communication, sexual bullying, sexual exploitation, and exposure/voyeurism/masturbation.
Racial Discrimination: Any distinction, exclusion, restriction or preference based on race, color, community, national or ethnic origin.
Microaggressions: Verbal, nonverbal, and environmental slights, snubs, or insults, whether intentional or unintentional, which communicate hostile, derogatory, or negative messages to target persons based solely upon their Protected Category membership.