Is it sexual harassment if a teacher touches a student?
Sexual harassment does not include legitimate nonsexual touching or other nonsexual conduct. For example, an elementary school teacher could give a consoling hug to a child who scraped his elbow; this is not considered sexual harassment. Similarly, a volleyball coach could hug a team member who scored the winning point. But, in some circumstances, nonsexual conduct may rise to the level of sexual harassment. For example, a volleyball coach hugging a player under inappropriate circumstances could create a hostile environment.
