Colleges have recently had major public reckonings on sexual harassment, but much less attention has been paid to K-12.
The U.S. Department of Education says it’s kept an active eye on Hillsborough County for 10 years — after the feds found the district retaliated against a student who reported sexual abuse.
The 2011 inquiry concluded Hillsborough didn’t have enough protections in place to keep children and teens safe. Title IX entitles students to an education free of sexual harassment; schools must educate them on rights and how to file a complaint. The district says it has implemented all the asked changes and hasn’t had feedback in years.
In June, we reported how teens at Blake High complained about a teacher for inappropriate sexual comments. District and police investigations bore out their concerns, but the students felt confused and dejected by the process.
Since then, more have come forward to tell how they felt the district didn't protect them.
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