6th Grade Sexual Harassment Prevention Lesson: Opt Out Information
opt-out info
Fairfax County Public Schools want to make sure everyone feels safe and respected at school. To support this priority, two lessons were developed for sixth graders about sexual harassment. These lessons teach what sexual harassment is and how to stop it from happening. Students will learn what to do if they or a friend are being bothered in this way. The lessons also explain how schools help students who are being harassed so they can feel comfortable learning again. School counselors teach these two lessons as part of their counseling curriculum.
Lesson Overviews
Students will learn:
- Sexual harassment is any behavior that is unwanted and sexual.
- Sexual harassment can be verbal, physical, written, or electronic.
- Gender-based harassment is saying or doing harmful things to someone because they do not act how you think a boy or girl is supposed to dress or act.
Students will learn about:
- Title IX
- Sexual harassment vs. flirting.
- How to report sexual harassment.
- Supports for targets of sexual harassment.
- Consequences for sexual harassment.
- Responsibility of the school when sexual harassment occurs.
For students in grades 4-6 with low-incidence disabilities, one lesson has been developed on the topic of sexual harassment.
In this lesson, students will learn:
- Sexual harassment is any behavior that is unwanted and sexual.
- Sexual harassment can be verbal, physical, written, or electronic.
- What is an okay touch vs. a bad touch.
- The consequences of sexual harassment.
Parents and guardians may request to view these lessons prior to deciding whether to opt their child(ren) out of the lessons.
Please reach out to your child(ren)'s school counselor for instructions on how to preview the lessons.
Opt-Out Information
Parents and guardians may choose to opt their child out of the two sixth-grade lessons on the topic of sexual harassment. Students who are opted out are provided with age-appropriate, non-punitive alternative instruction. Every effort is made to foster respect for family choice. Students will be included in the two sexual harassment lessons unless a parent or guardian completes an opt-out form (below). School Counselors will send home the formal opt-out letter at least 30 days prior to the scheduled lesson.