A teacher offering a student a passing grade in exchange for a sexual act is considered which of the following?

• A. None of these
• B. Academic dishonesty
• C. Bullying
• D. Sexual harassment

Answer: (D)

The situation hinges on coercive sexual behavior tied to a student’s academic status. When a teacher offers a passing grade in exchange for a sexual act, it uses the teacher’s authority to obtain sexual favors and makes academic advancement depend on a sexual act. That combination fits sexual harassment under Title IX, which covers unwelcome sexual advances or requests for sexual favors that are made a term or condition of educational benefits. It’s not simply cheating or a general act of intimidation; the defining element here is the sexual coercion linked to grades. That’s why this is categorized as sexual harassment.