Title IX Notifications
Title IX Compliance and Gender Equity
Title IX Coordinator:
Dr. Brent Forsee
Discrimination, Protections, Complaints and Procedures
All pupils have the right to participate fully in the educational process, free from discrimination and harassment. Schools have an obligation to combat racism, sexism, and other forms of bias, and a responsibility to provide equal educational opportunity and ensure safe school sites.
The District is primarily responsible for compliance with local, state and federal laws and regulations and has procedures to address allegations of unlawful discrimination, harassment, intimidation, or bullying against any protected individual or group including actual or perceived sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, ethnic group identification, race or ethnicity, ancestry, national origin, nationality, religion, mental or physical disability, age, or on the basis of a person’s association with a person or group with one or more of these actual or perceived characteristics in any district program, or activity that receives or benefits from local, state and federal financial assistance.
The Governing Board desires to provide a safe school environment that allows all students equal access and opportunities in the district's academic, extracurricular, and other educational support programs, services, and activities. The Board prohibits, at any district school or school activity, unlawful discrimination, including discriminatory harassment, intimidation, and bullying, targeted at any student by anyone, based on the student's actual or perceived race, color, ancestry, nationality, national origin, immigration status, ethnic group identification, ethnicity, age, religion, marital status, pregnancy, parental status, physical or mental disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, or genetic information, or association with a person or group with one or more of these actual or perceived characteristics.
Grievance Procedures
The following position is designated as Coordinator for Nondiscrimination to handle complaints regarding discrimination, harassment, intimidation, or bullying, and to answer inquiries regarding the district's nondiscrimination policies:
Dr. Brent Forsee
Any student who feels that he/she has been subjected to discrimination, harassment, intimidation, or bullying should immediately contact the Coordinator, the principal, or any other staff member. In addition, any student who observes any such incident should report the incident to the Coordinator or principal, whether or not the victim files a complaint.
Any school employee who observes an incident of discrimination, harassment, intimidation, or bullying or to whom such an incident is reported shall report the incident to the Coordinator or principal, whether or not the victim files a complaint.
In addition, the employee shall immediately intervene when safe to do so.
Upon receiving a complaint of discrimination, harassment, intimidation, or bullying, the Coordinator shall immediately investigate the complaint in accordance with district's uniform complaint procedures specified in AR 1312.3 - Uniform Complaint Procedures.
Complaints Regarding Discrimination, Harassment, Intimidation, Bullying, Exceptional Needs Students, Categorical Programs, Federally Funded Programs
The district shall follow uniform complaint procedures when addressing complaints alleging unlawful discrimination, harassment, intimidation, or bullying against any protected individual or group identified under Board Policy, Education Code, California Code of Regulations, Penal Code, or Government Code including actual or perceived sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, ethnicity, race, ancestry, national origin, religion, color, mental or physical disability, age, or on the basis of a person’s association with a person or group with one or more of these actual or perceived characteristics in any district program or activity that receives or benefits from state financial assistance.
The District shall promote programs that ensure non-discriminatory practices in all District activities. If you want further details in this regard, or wish to file a complaint, please contact the District’s Uniform Complaint Officer. The Governing Board designates the following compliance officer(s) to receive and investigate all complaints and ensure district compliance with law:
Dr. Kevin Hryciw
The Uniform Complaint Procedure can be used in cases of discrimination or a violation of a federal or state law within the following programs as identified by the District’s Board Policies: adult education, career/technical education, ROP programs and centers, child development, Consolidated Categorical Aid, LCAP, State Compensatory Education, State Program for Students of Limited English Proficiency, school improvement, tenth-grade counseling, tobacco-use prevention education, Peer Assistance and Review, Migrant and Indian Education, nutrition services, special education, homeless or foster youth education options, course content, physical education, discrimination, harassment, intimidation, bullying, pupil lactation accommodations, pupil fees, Civil Rights Guarantees that receive state or federal financial assistance, Williams Settlement issues, school safety plan, safe place to learn, School Safety and Violence Prevention Act, and other areas designated by the District.[EC 200, 201, 220, 234, 260 et seq., 262.3, 48853, 48853.5, 49010-49013, 49069.5, 51210, 51223, 51225.2, 51228.3, 52075, 52334.7, 56500.2, 56501; PC 422.55; 5 CCR 4600- 4687; CC 51-53; GC 11135, 12900; 20 USC 1400 et seq.; EOA; Title VI, Title IX; § 504; IDEA; 42 USC 2000d, 2000e, 2000h; 34 CFR 106.9]
District’s Uniform Complaint Process
You may contact your school’s office or the District office to obtain a free copy of the district’s complaint procedures. The complaint procedure can be used for a variety of issues not mentioned above including but not limited to employee issues and policies and procedures of the district. Confidentiality and privacy shall be respected in all complaint investigations. Complaints alleging discrimination may be filed by a person on their own behalf or on behalf of another person or group of people within six months of the occurrence or when facts became known. Complaints regarding a special needs student or pupil fees may be filed within 12 months of the occurrence. Complaints regarding LCAP may be filed anonymously. Complaints regarding Pupil Fees may be filed anonymously and with the principal. If a complaint regarding LCAP or pupil fees is valid, then the parents are due full reimbursement. Staff has been trained to deal with these types of complaints.
Those complaining (Complainants) are protected from retaliation and their identities are confidential when related to discrimination. Staff dealing with complaints are knowledgeable about the laws and programs they are investigating. The complaint may be dismissed if complainant obstructs or does not provide all information. If the District acts in the same manner, the finding may be affected.
- Complainants are protected from retaliation and their identities are confidential when related to discrimination. Staff dealing with complaints are knowledgeable about the laws and programs they are investigating. The complaint may be dismissed if complainant obstructs or does not provide all information. If the District acts in the same manner, the finding may be affected.
- You may contact the UCP Officer to obtain a copy of the complaint process.
- You may choose to have your complaint mediated.
- There shall be an investigative meeting after receiving the complaint.
- The compliance officer shall send a written report about the investigation and decision. There are then five days to appeal to the Board of Education.
- If you are not satisfied with the results the complainant has 15 days of receiving the LEA decision, to appeal to the California Department of Education. The appeal must include a copy of the locally filed complaint and a copy of the LEA decision.
- There is nothing in this process to preclude a complainant from pursuing available civil law remedies outside of the district’s complaint procedures. Such remedies may include mediation, attorneys, and legal remedies. Civil law remedies may include, but are not limited to: injunctions and restraining orders.
For discrimination complaints, 60 days must elapse from the time an appeal is filed with CDE before pursuing civil remedies except for an injunction. Complaints may also be forwarded to appropriate state or federal agencies in the following cases:
American Civil Liberties Act 504 – Office of Civil Rights
Child Abuse – Department of Social Services, Protective Services Division, or law enforcement
Discrimination/Nutritional Services – U.S. Secretary of Agriculture
Employment Discrimination – Department of Fair Employment and Housing, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
General Education – this school district
Health and Safety/Child Development – Department of Social Services
Student Records – Family Policy Compliance Office (FPCO), U.S. Department of Education
[20 USC 11138; 34 CFR 300.510-511, 300.513; EC 235. 262.3, 33031, 33032, 33381, 48985, 56000-56885, 59000-59300, 64000(a); 5 CCR 4600, 4620-4632]
For more information or to file a complaint with the Office of Civil Rights you may contact the offices below.
The OCR National Headquarters is located at:
U.S. Department of Education
Office for Civil Rights
Lyndon Baines Johnson Department of Education Bldg
400 Maryland Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20202-1100
San Francisco Office
Office for Civil Rights
U.S. Department of Education
50 United Nations Plaza
Mail Box 1200, Room 1545
San Francisco, CA 94102
Telephone: 415-486-5555
FAX: 415-486-5570; TDD: 800-877-8339
Email: [email protected]
Policies
- Board Policy 5145.3 - Nondiscrimination Harassment (Students)
- Board Policy 5145.7 - Sexual Harassment (Students)
- Board Policy 4030 - Nondiscrimination in Employment
- Board Policy 4119.11 Sexual Harassment (Personnel)
- Board Policy 1312.0 Complaint Procedures (Community Relations)
- Board Policy 1312.3 Uniform Complaint Procedures (Federal Programs)
- California Education Code 221.8 (Student Rights)