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November 9, 2026
When a student discloses sexual harassment or gender-based harm, educators need to know how to listen, explain their reporting responsibilities and connect the student with appropriate support. A new student-centered toolkit from Stop Sexual Assault in Schools and the National Center for Youth Law can help students, families and trusted adults understand Title IX rights and available options.
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By Joel Levin
When students experience sexual harassment or gender-based harm, a trusted teacher may be the first person they turn to. Students may fear being disbelieved, facing retaliation or losing control over who finds out. They may worry about consequences for their family or struggle to describe what happened. Teachers may also notice changes in a student's behavior, attendance, participation, or relationships. Even experienced educators may be unsure how to respond, what their responsibilities are, or where to direct a student for help.
Teachers can support students by listening without judgment, explaining the limits of confidentiality, following school reporting procedures, and connecting students with appropriate resources and supportive measures.
Middle school teacher and researcher Trina English observes that “sexual harm is cloaked not only in shame, but in a lack of awareness.” Students may not recognize what they are experiencing as sexual harm or know that they can seek help. They need to know that a teacher is willing to listen and takes their well-being seriously. English recommends making that commitment to safety visible through classroom messaging and conversations about boundaries and consent.
For students already trying to process what happened, finding answers can be overwhelming. And with the federal government changing its approach to Title IX enforcement, finding reliable information and support can be even more difficult.
To help students, families and educators understand Title IX rights, reporting options and available support, Stop Sexual Assault in Schools (SSAIS) and the National Center for Youth Law (NCYL) developed a new resource—Dear Students: Do You Know Your Rights Against Sex-Based Harassment?—created for students seeking help, parents searching for answers, friends supporting their peers, and young people who need to understand their options before deciding whether to make a formal complaint. It also helps educators and other trusted adults guide students toward accurate information and support.
Title IX remains a crucial protection against sex-based discrimination in education programs and activities that receive federal funding. The federal regulatory landscape has changed significantly: Courts vacated the 2024 Title IX regulations, and in September 2026, the Department of Education formally restored the regulatory text that preceded them. The 2020 Title IX regulations remain the basis for federal enforcement. The Department of Education has also pursued policies and interpretations that threaten protections for some students, including efforts to exclude students based on gender identity. SSAIS and NCYL have also raised concerns about federal policies and interpretations that could limit protections for some students, including students targeted based on gender identity.
The Title IX statute, passed by Congress in 1972, remains in place. Courts have recognized that sex discrimination can include unfair treatment based on gender roles and stereotypes, and schools must continue to meet their applicable obligations under the 2020 Title IX regulations.
Students shouldn’t have to untangle shifting federal rules before asking for help. Educators can help them find appropriate support even when the legal landscape is complicated.
Dear Students: Do You Know Your Rights Against Sex-Based Harassment? starts with the questions young people actually ask and uses real-world scenarios to explore how sex-based harassment affects their lives. It addresses sexualized deepfakes and nonconsensual image-sharing, harassment of LGBTQIA+ students, barriers faced by students with disabilities, gender-based harassment, sexual misconduct by school employees, and harassment that occurs online or off campus.
The toolkit translates complex information into practical steps: Identify your school’s Title IX coordinator, learn how to report concerns, keep a record of what happened, ask about confidentiality and protections against retaliation, and find out what supportive measures are available. Educators can use this guidance to help students navigate their options and find appropriate support.
Staff should listen without judgment, take the student's concerns seriously, and avoid blaming questions or pressing for details. Simple responses such as these can help: I’m glad you told me. I’m sorry this happened. You deserve to feel safe at school.
English emphasizes that “if you are the teacher who a child actually trusts, then it immediately becomes your priority in that moment.” She advises teachers to check that the student is safe and help them access safety planning and counseling, recognizing that the effects of sexual harm may not be obvious to adults.
Educators should explain the limits of confidentiality and their reporting obligations without promising secrecy they cannot guarantee. Because these obligations vary by role, law and school policy, staff should follow applicable reporting procedures, avoid conducting their own investigations, and connect students with appropriate support. They should also be familiar with resources that explain confidentiality and help students explore their options. The toolkit links to helpful resources, including Supportive Measures for Students Experiencing Sexual Harassment and Harm and Limits to Confidentiality When Reporting Sexual Harm.
The goal is to respond with care, meet professional responsibilities, and help students access support without adding to the burden of seeking help.
Students may want the harassment to stop but fear that reporting will make things worse. Others may be unsure whether what happened qualifies as harassment or what might follow from reporting it.
School staff can help students explore their options without pressuring them toward a particular decision. They can explain how to contact the Title IX coordinator, what the reporting process generally involves and what supportive measures may be available. Community-based organizations can offer additional guidance and support.
Depending on the circumstances, students may be able to request individualized support such as a class schedule change or other adjustments that help them feel safe and continue participating in school, even without filing a formal complaint or waiting for an investigation to conclude.
The toolkit directs students and families to StateofStudentRights.com, a website developed by NCYL with information about state protections, options for filing claims, confidentiality, and organizations that can provide support. These resources can also help students and families explore their options beyond the school system.
Dear Students: Do You Know Your Rights Against Sex-Based Harassment? is designed to be used, not just read. Besides practical guidance, it features resources developed with SSAIS for students, families, educators and other adult allies.
Students can explore youth-focused resources and videos to better understand sexual harassment, build personal safety on and off campus, learn about their rights, and find tools for addressing sexism and gender bias. Families and other adults can find resources for discussing sexual harassment and assault with young people, while educators and advocates can access materials for preventing harm and responding when it occurs.
These resources can support classroom discussions, staff learning, and conversations with students and families. They address forms of harm that can be overlooked or minimized, including persistent gender-based comments, online abuse, manipulated digital images, harassment targeting LGBTQIA+ students, and off-campus conduct that affects students at school.
The toolkit gives students and the adults who support them practical information about rights, reporting and available help. Educators can help put its guidance into practice by familiarizing themselves with the resources, reviewing school reporting procedures, and sharing reliable information with colleagues and students.
Every student deserves to have sexual harassment taken seriously and to know where to turn for help.
Want to help create safer schools free from gender-based harm? Stop Sexual Assault in Schools has a survey for teachers, school administrators, school psychologists, nurses, and others for their forthcoming book published by Routledge's Eye on Education imprint. Anonymous answers welcome.
The #MeToo and the #MeTooK12 movement is an opportunity for schools and communities to reflect on how to address issues of consent, sex education, relationships and undoing a pervasive culture of silence.
