Civil Rights

The cities of Sandpoint, Coeur d'Alene, Moscow, Boise, Ketchum, Pocatello and Idaho Falls have broadened their ordinances to prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity.

The District of Columbia and 22 states have added sexual orientation and gender identity as protected classes to their anti-discrimination laws.

According to the Human Rights Campaign, 91 percent of Fortune 500 companies have adopted policies prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and 61 percent on the basis of gender identity.

While neither the United States Congress nor the Idaho Legislature have added the words "sexual orientation" or "gender identity" to the federal and state anti-discrimination laws, the United States Supreme Court and the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth District have both held that an employer can be liable for sexual harassment under Title VII if its employee is subject to quid pro quo harassment or a hostile work environment that is based upon the employee's sex. Onacle v. Sundowner Offshore Services, Inc., 523 U.S. 75 (1998); Rene v. MGM Grand Hotel, Inc., 305 F.3d 1061 (9th Cir. 2002).

Update from the Government Affairs & Advocacy Committee, By. C. Clayton Gill of Moffatt Thomas.

Change From Within (movie and curriculum viewing guide) by the University of Missouri Extension is a documentary about educator Eliot Battle and the pivotal role he played in desegregating schools, housing and the Columbia community. As Battle facilitated changes with quiet resolve, he faced resistance from both the black and white communities. His calm demeanor and dedicated work within existing institutions and systems allowed him to bridge the gap between the two races and change Columbia for the better.

Curriculum guides may be used to enrich viewers' experience of the documentary. Questions in the curriculum are separated into schools, community and 4-H youth development. The questions provided are aligned with the following National Thematic Standards for Teachers of Social Studies:

• Culture and Cultural Diversity
• Time, Continuity and Change
• People, Places and Environments
• Individual Development and Identity
• Power, Authority and Governance
• Civic Ideals and Practices

UI Extension is committed to compliance with applicable federal, state and local rules and regulations pertaining to the openness of our programs. It is important we promptly address any concerns about discrimination or harassment, including sexual harassment.

Refer complaints related to discrimination or harassment to the Office of Civil Rights & Investigations (OCRI) as well as provide information on the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form (pdf) and/or “And Justice for All Poster.”

UI Extension programming complaints

UI Extension encourages, but does not require, individuals to try to resolve complaints (not related to discrimination or harassment) with the Extension employee providing the program or service at the local level. However, if that is not possible, or if the individual's complaint is not resolved to their satisfaction, then they should be taken to the district director within each of our four districts. Contact Aubrey Stribling Hudgins (astribling@uidaho.edu) to find the county in each district and the director whom to contact.

UI Extension employment complaints

Those individuals having question, concern or complaints about UI Extension's policies or practices related to equal employment opportunity and affirmative action should contact Dayna Willis (dwillis@uidaho.edu).

In order for participants in Extension activities to access information about their rights, display an "And Justice for All" poster in all University of Idaho Extension offices, locations where Extension faculty and staff are located, as well as during program activities, per USDA civil rights policy.

NIFA has made poster files available so they can be printed on location. Print posters edge to edge, in color, and on 11 X 17 cardstock.

Poster files can be found on the “And Justice for All” website. (They can also be found on Microsoft Teams>CALS/Extension team>Civil Rights Review channel.)

Contact Aubrey Stribling Hudgins (astribling@uidaho.edu) for more information.

Persons with disabilities have the right to request and receive reasonable accommodations. Please complete this form to assist in evaluating the reasonable accommodation request at least two weeks prior to the event. Accommodation applications cannot be approved without supporting documentation.

Submit an electronic general UI Extension form (pdf) or 4-H/youth form (pdf) by sending the application and documentation to:

Center for Disability Access and Resources
University of Idaho
875 Perimeter Drive MS 4257
Moscow, ID 83844-4257

Email: cdar@uidaho.edu
Phone: 208-885-6307
Fax: 208-885-9404