Eliminating Hostile Environments Los Angeles Unified School Los Angeles Unified School District District Division of Special Education Division of Special Education
Dec 18, 2015
Eliminating Hostile Environments
Los Angeles Unified School DistrictLos Angeles Unified School District
Division of Special EducationDivision of Special Education
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ObjectivesObjectives
Gain information on strategies that Gain information on strategies that eliminate hostile environmentseliminate hostile environments
Awareness of procedures for Awareness of procedures for reporting disability based reporting disability based discrimination-harassmentdiscrimination-harassment
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District Commitment to District Commitment to Students and ParentsStudents and Parents
Students are to attend schools in an Students are to attend schools in an environment that is conducive to environment that is conducive to learning and teaching:learning and teaching:
SafeSafeWelcomeWelcomeSupportedSupportedNurturedNurturedProtectedProtected
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Laws and District Policy Exist Laws and District Policy Exist to Protect Our Studentsto Protect Our Students
Federal LawFederal Law
State LawState Law
District PolicyDistrict Policy
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Parent / Student Parent / Student NotificationNotification
Parent Student Handbook DistributionParent Student Handbook Distribution
““Title IX and Nondiscrimination”Title IX and Nondiscrimination” Distributed to secondary studentsDistributed to secondary students Topics discussed with elementary studentsTopics discussed with elementary students
““Section 504 and Students with Disabilities”Section 504 and Students with Disabilities” Distributed to all studentsDistributed to all students
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What is Section 504?What is Section 504?
Section 504 is a civil rights statue that Section 504 is a civil rights statue that prohibits discrimination/harassment prohibits discrimination/harassment on the basis of a disability.on the basis of a disability.
Section 504 defines an individual with Section 504 defines an individual with a disability as: “A person who has a a disability as: “A person who has a physical or mental impairment which physical or mental impairment which substantially limits one or more major substantially limits one or more major life activities.”life activities.”
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Definition of Definition of Disability-Based HarassmentDisability-Based Harassment
UnwantedUnwanted Based on disabilityBased on disability Severe or pervasiveSevere or pervasive Objectively offensiveObjectively offensive Effectively denies equal access to a Effectively denies equal access to a
school’s resources and school’s resources and opportunities.opportunities.
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What is Bullying?What is Bullying? Habitual cruelty to others weaker or Habitual cruelty to others weaker or
perceived to be weaker than oneself.perceived to be weaker than oneself.
Aggressive behavior that involves an Aggressive behavior that involves an imbalance of real or imbalance of real or perceivedperceived physical or physical or psychological power among those psychological power among those involved. involved.
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Forms of Hostile Forms of Hostile EnvironmentsEnvironments
PhysicalPhysical VerbalVerbal NonverbalNonverbal Emotional (Psychological)Emotional (Psychological) Cyber BullyingCyber Bullying
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Schools Must RespondSchools Must Respond
The lack of a strong, immediate The lack of a strong, immediate response by a teacher or response by a teacher or administrator who is aware of the administrator who is aware of the harassment may be perceived by a harassment may be perceived by a student as approval of the activity or student as approval of the activity or as an indication that the student as an indication that the student deserves the harassment.deserves the harassment.
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What should be done What should be done
Staff should meet with your child to Staff should meet with your child to learn about the bullying that he or learn about the bullying that he or she has experienced. she has experienced.
A plan should be developed to keep A plan should be developed to keep your child safe and be watchful for your child safe and be watchful for any future bullying.any future bullying.
Educators and parents should be Educators and parents should be careful not to “blame the victim.”careful not to “blame the victim.”
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Strategies in Place to Strategies in Place to Guarantee a Safe Learning Guarantee a Safe Learning
EnvironmentEnvironment District WideDistrict Wide
District Discipline Foundation PolicyDistrict Discipline Foundation Policy District’s policy and procedures regarding District’s policy and procedures regarding
harassmentharassment Yearly training for staff and students. Yearly training for staff and students.
School SiteSchool Site Parent handbook, Title IX and Nondiscrimination Parent handbook, Title IX and Nondiscrimination
brochures, Assemblies, Social Skill Instructionbrochures, Assemblies, Social Skill Instruction School Wide Positive Behavior Support SystemSchool Wide Positive Behavior Support System
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Strategies at HomeStrategies at Home
Talk to your child about school, behavior Talk to your child about school, behavior and responsibilityand responsibility
Teach your children assertiveness and Teach your children assertiveness and conflict resolutionconflict resolution
Know school rulesKnow school rules Know laws and policies that prohibit Know laws and policies that prohibit
harassmentharassment Alert school to incidents of bullying and Alert school to incidents of bullying and
harassmentharassment Know complaint proceduresKnow complaint procedures
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Strategies at HomeStrategies at Home
Talk with your child’s teacher, dean or counselorTalk with your child’s teacher, dean or counselor Schedule a conference with a school Schedule a conference with a school
administratoradministrator Provide your concerns in writingProvide your concerns in writing Ask to know the disposition of any investigationsAsk to know the disposition of any investigations Seek out supportsSeek out supports Speak to Educational Service Center personnel Speak to Educational Service Center personnel
(i.e., Operations Administrator)(i.e., Operations Administrator)
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Rights to Appeal School-Site Rights to Appeal School-Site Decisions or ActionsDecisions or Actions
PrincipalPrincipal Educational Service Center personnelEducational Service Center personnel Educational Equity Compliance OfficeEducational Equity Compliance Office Provide your concerns in writingProvide your concerns in writing District prohibits retaliation against District prohibits retaliation against
anyone for filing a complaint or appeal anyone for filing a complaint or appeal or participating in a complaint or participating in a complaint investigationinvestigation
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Uniform Complaint Uniform Complaint ProcedureProcedure
If not satisfied with the school site If not satisfied with the school site resolution, parent, student, staff, or resolution, parent, student, staff, or any person may file a written any person may file a written complaint or appeal with:complaint or appeal with: Educational Service CentersEducational Service Centers Educational Equity Compliance OfficeEducational Equity Compliance Office
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Board Rule 133 ComplaintsBoard Rule 133 Complaints
Charge or complaint against a Charge or complaint against a District employee shall be in writingDistrict employee shall be in writing
Filed with the Executive Officer of the Filed with the Executive Officer of the Board of Education – (213) 241-7002Board of Education – (213) 241-7002
Will be investigated with a written Will be investigated with a written response from the Board Presidentresponse from the Board President
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Equity in Programs and Equity in Programs and Activities for ALL StudentsActivities for ALL Students
Equal rights and opportunities:Equal rights and opportunities: To attend school and participate in To attend school and participate in
courses and programs, regardless of courses and programs, regardless of protected categoryprotected category
To counseling opportunitiesTo counseling opportunities To extracurricular activitiesTo extracurricular activities To honors, special awards, scholarships, To honors, special awards, scholarships,
and graduation activitiesand graduation activities
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District Resources to Support & District Resources to Support & Assist Parents and StudentsAssist Parents and Students
School principal/administratorSchool principal/administrator
Educational Service CentersEducational Service Centers
Special Education Educational Service Special Education Educational Service CentersCenters
Educational Equity Compliance OfficeEducational Equity Compliance Office
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LAUSDLAUSD is committed to is committed to making sure that students making sure that students
know and feel that they know and feel that they are safe and protected in are safe and protected in
our schools.our schools.
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For more information call:For more information call:Educational Equity Educational Equity
Compliance OfficeCompliance Office, , (213) 241-7682 (213) 241-7682
Visit our website: Go Visit our website: Go to to LAUSDnet; then, LAUSDnet; then, “District Info”: “District Info”: then, then, Administrative Administrative Offices- Click on: Offices- Click on:
Educational Equity Educational Equity ComplianceCompliance