The Grauer School to host panel on sexual harrassment

The Grauer School will host an Empowerment in the Workplace panel on Jan. 23 to address the recent surge in public reports of sexual harassment and to give students practical tools for dealing with sexual harassment in the workplace. The event, which takes place at 3:15 pm at 1500 S. El Camino Real in Encinitas, is free and open to the public.

The panel includes Emily Nestor, the former Weinstein Company assistant whose allegations of sexual harassment against Harvey Weinstein opened a floodgate of claims by women across the nation and propelled the #MeToo movement, and Luke LaCroix, the Director of Residential Administration at the University of San Diego.

Also joining the panel are Dave Nestor, a pastor at Christ Lutheran Church in San Diego and Merrili Escue, a partner at Sacks Rickett & Case who has provided guidance to companies on all aspects of employee-employer relationships for nearly 20 years.

The event is the latest in the school’s Great Conversations series – now in its 27th year – which brings leading speakers, authors and newsmakers to the seventh through twelfth grade campus for discussions and Q&A. The school’s Girl Rising club is presenting the event.

Alicia Tembi, Girl Rising’s faculty sponsor, said, “Education is the most potent weapon we have to combat the rampant sexual harassment affecting all sectors of society.” Tembi, who teaches history, said, “We desperately need safe spaces where young men and women can learn from others’ experiences, understand their choices and know the power of their own voice.”

Dr. Stuart Grauer, the founding head of school, said, “It is a time of profound disruption in schools and workplaces and our focus at Grauer is claiming courage and reality as core values in education.”

The event is free but donations are appreciated. Proceeds from the event will benefit Daraja Academy in Kenya, one of the first free boarding secondary schools for girls in all of East Africa. This year, Grauer’s Girl Rising club aims to sponsor one year’s tuition for at least one Daraja girl, which is $2,500.00.

— Submitted news release