• BULLYING AND HARASSMENT PREVENTION

    The Oak Park Unified School District and the state of California both believe that all pupils deserve and need safe and supportive school environments in which to learn.

    The Safe Place to Learn Act of 2016 established state policy "to ensure that all local educational agencies continue to work to reduce discrimination, harassment, violence, intimidation, and bullying. It is further the policy of the state to improve pupil safety at schools and the connections between pupils and supportive adults, schools, and communities."

    In support of the Safe Place to Learn Act, Assembly Bill 34 passed in September 2019 (and is reflected in Ed Code 5.6/234.6) stipulating that specified information on bullying and harassment prevention must be easily accessible and readily available to students, parents, and guardians on each local education agency's website. SDCOE has compiled below a list of resources, policies, and procedures to help inform stakeholders of the organization's approach to creating safe and supportive learning environments for all students, including bullying and harassment prevention information.

     

    DEFINITION OF BULLYING

    Bullying is defined as any severe or pervasive physical or verbal act or conduct, including communications made in writing or by means of an electronic act, and including one or more acts committed by a pupil or group of pupils directed toward one or more pupils that have or can be reasonably predicted to have the effect of causing a reasonable pupil to experience a substantially detrimental effect on the pupil’s physical or mental health, academic performance, or ability to participate in school activities. 

     

    BULLYING AND CYBERBULLYING REGULATIONS AND POLICY

     

    REPORT IT

    Any person who has been a victim of or witnessed bullying or harassment on school grounds, during school activities, or going to and coming from school is highly encouraged to report the incident immediately to a counselor, administrator, or other adult personnel on campus.  Students have the ability to report incidents anonymously through the Report_It form located on the school website. 

     

    INVESTIGATION

    The principal or designee shall promptly investigate all complaints of bullying or sexual harassment.  The student who filed the complaint shall have an opportunity to describe the incident, present witnesses and other evidence of the bullying or harassment, and put his/her complaint in writing.  Within 10 school days of the reported incident, the principal or designee shall present a written report to the student who filed the complaint and the accused individual.  The report shall include his/her findings, decision, and reason for the decision.  If the student is in disagreement with the outcome of the investigation, an appeal can be filed at the District Office. 

     

    TRANSFER REQUEST

    A child that has been reported as the victim of a violent offense or bullying as defined by state law is entitled to transfer to another school within or outside the District under California Education Code 46600 § (b).  Placement at a requested school is contingent upon space availability.  Transfer requests can be obtained at the District Office.  

     

    Definition of Hate Motivated Behavior

     

    Hate-motivated behavior is any behavior intended to cause emotional suffering, physical injury, or property damage through intimidation, harassment, bigoted slurs or epithets, force or threat of force, or vandalism motivated in part or in whole by bias or hostility toward the victim's real 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, medical condition, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, or genetic information, or any other characteristic identified in Education Code 200 or 220, Government Code 11135, or Penal Code 422.55.

     

    Board Policy 5145.9 Hate Motivated Behavior

    DEFINITION OF SEXUAL HARASSMENT

    California Education Code section 212.5 defines sexual harassment as unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal, visual, or physical conduct of a sexual nature, made by someone from or in the work or educational setting under any of the following conditions:

    1. Submission to the conduct is explicitly or implicitly made a term or a condition of an individual’s employment, academic status, or progress.

    2. Submission to, or rejection of, the conduct by the individual is used as the basis of employment or academic decisions affecting the individual.

    3. The conduct has the purpose or effect of having a negative impact upon the individual’s work or academic performance, or of creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive work or educational environment.

    4. Submission to, or rejection of, the conduct by the individual is used as the basis for any decision affecting the individual regarding benefits and services, honors, programs, or activities available at or through the educational institution.

     

    SEXUAL HARASSMENT REGULATIONS AND POLICY

    Title IX

     

    Title IX is a federal law that was passed in 1972 to ensure that male and female students and employees in educational settings are treated equally and fairly. It protects against discrimination based on sex (including sexual harassment). In addition, Title IX protects transgender students and students who do not conform to gender stereotypes. State law also prohibits discrimination based on gender (sex), gender expression, gender identity, and sexual orientation. Oak Park Unified prohibits at school or at school-sponsored or school-related activities, sex discrimination and sex-based harassment, as defined in the accompanying administrative regulation, targeted at any student, based on the student's actual or perceived sex; sex stereotypes; sex characteristics; sexual orientation; gender; gender identity; gender expression; pregnancy, childbirth, termination of pregnancy or lactation, including related medical conditions or recovery; and, parental, marital, and family status.The preamble to Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 states that:

     

    "No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance."

    Board Policy 4030 Nondiscrimination In Employment

    Administrative Regulation 4040 Nondiscrimination In Employment

    Title IX Training Materials for Staff

     

    Board Policy 5145.7 Sex Discrimination and Sex-Based Harassment

    Administrative Regulation 5145.7 Sex Discrimination and Sex-Based Harassment

    Administrative Regulation 5147.71 Title IX Sex Discrimination and Sex-Based Harassment Complaint Procedures

     

    TITLE IX - RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

    The following list of rights, which are based on the relevant provisions of the federal regulations implementing Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (20 U.S.C. Sec. 1681 et seq.), may be used by the department for purposes of Section 221.6:

    (a) You have the right to fair and equitable treatment and you shall not be discriminated against based on your sex.

    (b) You have the right to be provided with an equitable opportunity to participate in all academic extracurricular activities, including athletics.

    (c) You have the right to inquire of the athletic director of your school as to the athletic opportunities offered by the school.

    (d) You have the right to apply for athletic scholarships.

    (e) You have the right to receive equitable treatment and benefits in the provision of all of the following:

    (1) Equipment and supplies.

    (2) Scheduling of games and practices.

    (3) Transportation and daily allowances.

    (4) Access to tutoring.

    (5) Coaching.

    (6) Locker rooms.

    (7) Practice and competitive facilities.

    (8) Medical and training facilities and services.

    (9) Publicity.

    (f) You have the right to have access to a gender equity coordinator to answer questions regarding gender equity laws.

    (g) You have the right to contact the State Department of Education and the California Interscholastic Federation to access information on gender equity laws.

    (h) You have the right to file a confidential discrimination complaint with the United States Office of Civil Rights or the State Department of Education if you believe you have been discriminated against or if you believe you have received unequal treatment on the basis of your sex.

    (i) You have the right to pursue civil remedies if you have been discriminated against.

    (j) You have the right to be protected against retaliation if you file a discrimination complaint.

     

    TITLE IX COORDINATOR

     

    Title IX requires that each school district have at least one person designated as the Title IX Coordinator. 

    Stew McGugan

    Smcgugan@opusd.org 

    818-735-3200

    Suicide Prevention

    The Governing Board recognizes that suicide is a leading cause of death among youth and that school personnel who regularly interact with students are often in a position to recognize the warning signs of suicide and to offer appropriate referral and/or assistance. In an effort to reduce suicidal behavior and its impact on students and families, the Superintendent or designee shall develop measures and strategies for suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention.

    In developing measures and strategies for use by the district, the Superintendent or designee may consult with school health professionals, school counselors, school psychologists, school social workers, administrators, other staff, parents/guardians, students, suicide prevention experts, local health agencies, mental health professionals, and community organizations.

     

    POLICIES AND ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATION

    Complaints Concerning District Employees

     

    The Board of Trustees recognizes its accountability to the public for the quality of the district's educational program and the performance of district employees. The district shall provide a process by which a complaint submitted by any person regarding an employee can be resolved impartially, expeditiously, and with minimal disruption to district operations and the educational program.

     

    REGULATIONS AND POLICY

    Community Relations

     

    INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT PLAN