Harmony Union School District

Title IX/Non-Discrimination: Prohibiting Sex-Based Discrimination

Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (“Title IX”) is a federal law that prohibits sex-based discrimination in all educational programs and activities, including athletic programs. No person shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any educational program or activity operated by the District. Title IX protects all participants in the District's educational programs and activities, including students, parents, employees, and job applicants. The District does not discriminate on the basis of sex. Discrimination on the basis of sex can include sexual harassment and sexual violence.

In addition to Title IX, the California Education Code prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in schools. (California Education Code §§ 220-221.1.) Other state and federal laws also prohibit discrimination and ensure equality in education.

Title IX information provided here applies to every school and site in the District. Please refer to the following specific policies and procedures regarding sexual harassment.

Title IX Coordinator

Matthew Morgan

Superintendent/Principal

mmorgan@harmonyusd.org

707-874-1205

• BP 0410 Nondiscrimination In District Programs And Activities
• BP 4119.11/4219.11/4319.11 Sexual Harassment 
• AR 4119.11/4219.11/4319.11 Sexual Harassment 
• BP 5145.7 Sexual Harassment - Students
• AR 5145.7 Sexual Harassment - Students

Califonia Department of Education Title XI webpage

U.S. Department of Education Title XI webpage

Title VI: Civil Rights Act of 1964

Every student has a protected right to feel safe at school.

It is the right of all students to be free from discrimination from other students and adults at school.

Under Title VI, students have the federally-protected right to an education free from discrimination and harassment. It protects everyone participating in programs that receive federal funding from discrimination based on their race, color, or national origin. This protection extends to all federally-financed programs, including both public and non-public schools, and is therefore under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Department of Education and is enforced by the Office for Civil Rights.

A few things to know about Title VI:

• Discrimination can come from other students AND/OR adults at school.
• Students could be discriminated against at any age.
• Discrimination against students based on their religion can be considered a Title VI violation when their religion relates to their ethnic heritage.
• A school violates a student’s Title VI rights when it fails to appropriately remedy a hostile climate or inequity in treatment due to race, color, or national origin.
• You don't need to be the victim or their parent/legal guardian in order to file a Title VI complaint with the Office for Civil Rights on their behalf.

You may also file a discrimination complaint with the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights. For more information, visit the OCR Complaint Forms page, linked in the sidebar. The electronic complaint form for the Office for Civil Rights is available online or you can access the Discrimination Complaint Form as a PDF. 

Contact the Office for Civil Rights

San Francisco Office
Office for Civil Rights
U.S. Department of Education
50 United Nations Plaza
San Francisco, CA 94102
Telephone: (415) 486-5555
Email: ocr.sanfrancisco@ed.gov
Fax: (415) 486-5570; TDD: (800) 877-8339

For information about how to file other types of complaints and the procedures for those complaints, please contact the Superintendent/Principal

Non-Discrimination

Harmony Union School District is committed to providing equal opportunity for all individuals in district programs and activities. District programs, activities, and practices shall be free from unlawful discrimination, including discrimination against an individual or group based on race, color, ancestry, nationality, national origin, immigration status, ethnic group identification, ethnicity, age, religion, marital status, pregnancy, or parental status, physical or mental disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, or genetic information; a perception of one or more of such characteristics; or association with a person or group with one or more of these actual or perceived characteristics.

• BP 0410: Nondiscrimination in District Programs and Activities
• BP 4030: Nondiscrimination in Employment
• AR 4030: Nondiscrimination in Employment
• BP 5145.3: Nondiscrimination/Harassment
• AR 5145.3: Nondiscrimination/Harassment

Uniform Complaint Procedures
The Governing Board believes that the quality of the educational program can improve when the district listens to complaints, considers differences of opinion, and resolves disagreements through an established, objective process.

The Board encourages complainants to resolve problems early and informally whenever possible. If a problem remains unresolved, the individual should submit a formal complaint as early as possible in accordance with appropriate district procedures. District procedures shall be readily accessible to the public.

Individual Board members do not have authority to resolve complaints. If approached directly with a complaint, however, Board members should listen to the complainant and show their concern by referring the complainant to the Superintendent or designee so that the problem may receive proper consideration.

A Uniform Complaint Procedures (UCP) complaint is a written and signed statement alleging a violation of federal or state laws or regulations, which may include an allegation of unlawful discrimination, harassment, intimidation, or bullying. A signature may be handwritten, typed (including in an email), or electronically generated. Some complaints may be filed anonymously. A complaint filed on behalf of an individual student may only be filed by that student or that student's duly authorized representative. If the complainant is unable to put the complaint in writing, due to conditions such as a disability or illiteracy, the local educational agency shall assist the complainant in the filing of the complaint. UCP complaints are filed with the district superintendent or their designee.

A Williams Complaint, another type of UCP complaint, regards instructional materials, emergency or urgent facilities conditions that pose a threat to the health and safety of pupils or staff, and teacher vacancy or misassignments, and may be filed anonymously. Williams Complaints are filed with the principal, or their designee, of the school in which the complaint arises. Schools have complaint forms available for these types of complaints, but will not reject a complaint if the form is not used, as long as the complaint is submitted in writing.

BP 1312.3: Uniform Complaint Procedures

AR 1312.3: Uniform Complaint Procedures

Compliance Officer:

The district designates the individual(s), position(s), or unit(s) identified below as responsible for receiving, coordinating, and investigating complaints and for complying with state and federal civil rights laws.

Superintendent/Principal
1935 Bohemian Highway, Occidental CA, 95446
707-874-1205
mmorgan@harmonyusd.org

NOTICE TO PARENTS/GUARDIANS, STUDENTS, AND TEACHERS:

K-12 COMPLAINT RIGHTS

Parents/Guardians, Students, and Teachers:

Pursuant to Education Code

35186, you are hereby notified that:

1. There should be sufficient textbooks and instructional materials. That means each student, including

an English learner, must have a textbook or instructional materials, or both, to use in class and to take

home.

2. School facilities must be clean, safe, and maintained in good repair.

3. There should be no teacher vacancies or misassignments. There should be a teacher assigned to each

class and not a series of substitutes or other temporary teachers. The teacher should have the proper

credential to teach the class, including the certification required to teach English learners, if present.

Misassignment means the placement of a certificated employee in a teaching or services position for

which the employee does not hold a legally recognized certificate or credential or the placement of a

certificated employee in a teaching or services position that the employee is not otherwise authorized

by statute to hold.

Teacher vacancy means a position to which a single designated certificated employee has not been

assigned at the beginning of the year for an entire year or, if the position is for a one-semester course, a

position to which a single designated certificated employee has not been assigned at the beginning of a

semester for an entire semester.

If you choose to file a complaint alleging that any of the above conditions is not being met, your

complaint will be addressed through the district's Williams uniform complaint procedures as required

by law. A complaint form may be obtained at the school office or district office, or downloaded from

the school or district web site. You may also download a copy of the California Department of

Education complaint form from the following web site:

CDE Complaint Form.

However, a complaint need not be filed using either the district's complaint form or the complaint form from the

California Department of Education.

AR 1312.4: WIlliams Uniform Complaint Procedures

E 1312.4: Williams Uniform Complaint Form