School Harassment a Top Priority for Justice Department

An education free of harassment—that’s what senior counselor to the assistant attorney general for the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Justice Department would like to create for all students.
School Harassment a Top Priority for Justice Department
Conan Milner
5/15/2011
Updated:
5/16/2011
An education free of harassment—that’s what senior counselor to the assistant attorney general for the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Justice Department would like to create for all students. Senior Counselor Jocelyn Samuels spoke before the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights late last week to promote “safe and inclusive educational environments for all children.”

“Harassment can have a profound and longstanding effect on our children and youth. We have seen the dire consequences when a student who has been harassed feels he or she has nowhere to turn,” Samuels told the commission on May 13. “As a matter of policy and practice, school districts have a responsibility to stop bullying and harassment whenever it happens. When harassment occurs because of a student’s race, color, religion, national origin, disability, or sex—including harassment based on sex stereotypes—the Department of Justice has the authority to take action if school districts do not.”

According to Samuels, addressing school harassment is a top priority for not only the Justice Department, but also the entire Obama administration. She said that her division has addressed this phenomenon “through its involvement in harassment cases through numerous administrations.”

But the Justice Department can’t go it alone, so they are calling on schools and communities for help. Samuels explained that the Educational Opportunities Section (EOS) of the Civil Rights Division receives a great number of complaints, but only has the resources to pursue a limited number. While the EOS makes every effort to address complaints, which involve interpretations of significant issues of law, Samuels called on schools to take proactive measures to address harassment and bullying and to ensure adequate protection for all students.

“Schools can play a vital role in addressing this issue,” she said. “Indeed, proactive school efforts to prevent harassment and bullying and respond when it occurs can have significant effects in limiting the repercussions that those subject to harassment all too frequently suffer.”

“When a school fails to take appropriate steps to end harassment and ensure that it does not recur, the Civil Rights Division is prepared to take enforcement action within our existing authority,” said Samuels. “We have long demonstrated a commitment to using our enforcement authority to protect the rights of students to learn in an environment that is free from harassment.”

Citing several recent examples of severe and pervasive harassment in schools aimed at a variety of minority groups, Samuels described how her department worked to protect the rights of students in those cases. She said that the efforts were something the entire Obama administration took very seriously.

“President Obama has made clear his commitment to protecting children from bullying and harassment of all kinds—he and first lady Michelle Obama recently convened a conference at the White House to bring students, parents, educators, and other stakeholders together to talk about bullying prevention. These efforts are ever more important than ever to ensure our nation’s children can access the opportunities that will allow them to thrive,” she said.
Conan Milner is a health reporter for the Epoch Times. He graduated from Wayne State University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts and is a member of the American Herbalist Guild.
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