Protecting Chicago’s Children Resource Page
What is the Office of Student Protections?
The mission of the Office of Student Protections (OSP) and the Equal Opportunity Compliance
Office (EOCO) is to promote a District that is free from abuse, discrimination, harassment, and
retaliation. We engage collaboratively with our stakeholders to remove barriers to academic
programs and activities to provide an equitable, inclusive, and safe learning and work
environment. By working together to safeguard civil rights, we positively impact school
communities affected by harm.
What is Title IX?
Title IX states that "No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from
participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education
program or activity receiving federal financial assistance."
What is Sexual Harassment?
Under the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights 2020 regulations, Sexual
Harassment is defined as conduct on the basis of sex that satisfies one or more of the following:
●​ Hostile environment: Unwelcome conduct determined by a reasonable person to be so
severe, pervasive, AND objectively offensive that it effectively denies a person equal
access to the District’s education programs or activities.
●​ Quid Pro Quo: When an employee of the District conditions access to educational benefits
on unwelcome sexual conduct.
●​ Sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking.
What Needs to be Reported to OSP?
Sexual Misconduct Categories, ​
Including Title IX
Bias-based Harm Categories,
Including Title VI
General Staff
Misconduct
Sexual Harassment
Sex-Based Harassment
Sexual Assault
Fondling
Dating Violence
Domestic Violence
Stalking
Grooming
Sexual Electronic Communication
Sexual Exploitation
Exposure/Voyeurism/
Masturbation
Gender-Based Harassment /Discrimination
Sexual Orientation
Harassment/Discrimination
Racial Discrimination/Harassment
Gender Identity-Based
Discrimination/Harassment
Sexual Orientation-Based
Discrimination/Harassment
Disability Discrimination/Harassment
Physical Abuse
Verbal Abuse
Corporal
Punishment
Failure to Report
How to File a Report with OSP?
●​ Ensure the safety and well-being of the party disclosing to you.
●​ Call 911 if it’s an emergency. Refer to the Police Notification guidelines in the Student
Code of Conduct. If you suspect child abuse or neglect, notify the Illinois Department of
Children & Family Services by calling 1-800-252-2873 (1-800-25-ABUSE).
●​ Notify your school principal or other administrator who will submit a report in Aspen on
your behalf.
●​ To notify OSP, District Schools are required to generate an Aspen report and answer the
two questions related to sexual misconduct. Once District staff have successfully
submitted an ASPEN report, OSP will be notified and will follow up with appropriate
guidance, including coordinating student supports, as needed.
●​ For Charter, Contract, and Options schools, staff should fill out an Aspen report if they
have access to Aspen. Otherwise, these schools must report to OSP by completing an
Online Complaint Form found on the OSP Website.
●​ Please note that District employees are not allowed to use the Online Complaint Form. It is
only meant for use by Charter, Contract, and Options schools that do not have Aspen
access or members of the public such as parents, students, and other community
members. Importantly, only members of the public have the option to report anonymously.
Staff can not make an anonymous report.
●​ For questions or assistance, please contact the OSP at 773-535-4400 or by email at
osp@cps.edu
What is a Boundary Violation?
Per the Policy on the Reporting of Child Abuse, Neglect and Inappropriate Relations Between
Adults and Students, a Boundary Violation is defined as an act, omission, or pattern of such
behavior by an employee that does not have a legitimate educational purpose; and results in
abuse of the staff and student professional relationship or has the potential to cause harm to the
student.
What is Grooming?
Grooming is behavior a person in a position of trust or authority uses to build an emotional
connection with a child or young person, including a student who may be over 18 years of age, to
gain their trust and break down their inhibitions for a sexual purpose.
A person commits grooming when they knowingly use a computer on-line service, internet
service, local bulletin board service, or any other device capable of electronic data storage or
transmission, performs an act in person or by conduct through a third party, or uses written
communication to seduce, solicit, lure, or entice, or attempt to seduce, solicit, lure, or entice, a
child, a child’s guardian, or another person believed by the person to be a child or a child’s
guardian, to commit any sex offense in Section 2 of the Sex Offender Registration Act, to
distribute photographs depicting the sex organs of the child, or to otherwise engage in any
unlawful sexual conduct with a child or with another person believed by the person to be a child.
A person may be “grooming” a child or engaging in inappropriate intimate behavior with a child
when the person engages in behavior that includes but is not limited to: a. Creating or engaging in
isolated, one-on-one interactions with a child (e.g., transporting a child without the written
authorization of the principal and the parent, texting or direct messaging the child); b. giving or
attempting to give gifts to a particular child (e.g., money, clothing); or c. crossing physical
boundaries (e.g., touching, giving prolonged frontal hugs, or making the child sit on their lap).
All Covered individual adults are required to report suspected grooming to the DCFS Hotline at
1-800-25-ABUSE and to the Office of Student Protections and Title IX.
For more information please visit cps.edu/osp or contact the OSP/EOCO at osp@cps.edu.