Sexual harass-ment is an issue that has the power to rock the strongest of institutions. It can occur anywhere, from the offices of power to the halls of a small-town high school. The best weapon in the fight against sexual harassment? "Discussion, definitely, said Current Issues teacher Mike Schaeffer. "Students have to be made aware before any kind of social changes can occur."

The W. F. West Student Handbook defines sexual harassment as conduct that has the effect of interfering with a student's work or creating a hostile environment. Such conduct is placed into three categories: sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature. It states that verbal harassment includes "Comments about a person's body, physical appearance, clothing, or sex life; wolf whistles, sexual jokes, and sexual innuendoes; comments about the perpetrator's sex life, and sexual remarks (not necessarily about the victim)."

Physical harassment is outlined as including "exposing oneself, leering, kissing, hugging, making physical gestures of a sexual nature, looking or attempting to look down a woman's dress, displaying nude pictures, and touching or adjusting the victim's clothes."

Some students do not agree entirely as to what exactly should be considered sexual harassment. "Whistling or slapping on the butt, that's just teenage flirtation," said senior John Collins. Senior Kevin Van Egdom agreed, "Guys will be guys, and right now our hormones are raging. We shouldn't be punished for that."

Another problem in finding sexual harassment is determining whether or not sexual advances are unwanted. "I've sexually harassed so many girls," said one junior, who did not wish to be named. "People I know, I just joke around with them, hit on them."

Saying "no" is generally seen as the best way to signal that advances aren't wanted. "If they tell you to stop, then you should stop, because that's uncomfortable," senior Desi Fisher said.

Despite the vagueness many feel that harassment is a big issue here. Sophomore Nick Rambo said, "The pretty girls are always being harassed or teased, and sometimes it goes too far."

Junior Lauren Rassmussen said. "I do believe it is a problem, but people are too scared to confront it." The administration agrees that part of the problem is that victims of sexual harassment don't often stand up to it or notify administrators of the problem.

"I don't think enough people say Ôno'," said W. F. West Assistant Principal Fred Olin.

Some students, however, don't think a problem exists. "I think people are totally blowing it way out of proportion," sophomore Kayla Pollard said.

Major problem or not, the administration takes sexual harassment seriously. Olin said, "When they do report it to us, we deal with it severely."