Report a Concern

Bullying is defined as any severe or pervasive physical or verbal act(s) or conduct, including electronic communications committed by a pupil(s) that has, or can be reasonably predicted to have, the effect of one or more of the following: 

• Reasonable fear of harm to person or property
• Substantially detrimental effect on physical or mental health
• Substantial interference with academic performance
• Substantial interference with the ability to participate in or benefit from school services, activities, or privileges by a school.

Hazing is defined as any method of initiation, pre-initiation, or rite of passage associated with actual or desired membership in a student organization or student body, whether or not the organization or body is officially recognized by an educational institution, which is likely to cause serious bodily, injury, personal degradation or disgrace that result in physical or psychological harm. Hazing typically, but not exclusively, involves newer members showing subservience to existing members and will be reported to the administrator of the school and/or adviser of that student body activity.

Bullying can be manifested in a variety of forms that include, but are not limited to, the following:

Cyberbullying
Cyberbullying is bullying by electronic act, which includes transmission of a communication by text, sound, image, video, message, website post, social network activity, or other form of communication sent by an electronic device (Ed. Code 32261 (g)). This can include posting to a “burn page” created for the purpose of having one or more of the effects listed above, creating a credible impersonation of another actual pupil for the purpose of having one or more of the effects listed above, or creating a false profile for the purpose listed above.

Verbal Bullying
Verbal bullying includes hurtful gossiping, making rude noises, making threats, name-calling, spreading rumors, or teasing. 

Physical Bullying
Physical bullying includes intentional, unwelcome acts of beating, biting, fighting, hitting, kicking, poking, punching, pushing, shoving, spitting, or tripping.

Social Bullying
Social or relational bullying includes spreading rumors, manipulating relationships, exclusion, blackmailing, isolating, rejecting, using peer pressure and ranking personal characteristics.

Non-Verbal Bullying
Non-verbal bullying includes the use of threatening gestures, staring, stalking, graffiti or graphic images, and destruction of property to cause distress, intimidation, discomfort, pain or humiliation.

Indirect Bullying
Indirect bullying is the use of intimidation or peer pressure to cause harm to a third party.

Our sites work with parents to keep our students safe and happy at school. There are several warning signs that could indicate that your child is experiencing bullying at school. Please be on the alert for:

• An unexpected drop in grades and/or interest
• Unusual moodiness, depression, anxiety, or crying
• Frequent headaches or stomach aches
• Loss of appetite or trouble sleeping
• Damaged or missing clothing, books, or other belongings
• Unexpected bruises, cuts or scratches
• Few or no friends to spend time with
• Fear of going to school, riding the bus or walking to school
• Taking an illogical or long route home

San Luis Coastal encourages parents to contact their principal to address immediate concerns of bullying. If you wish to report a bully, please do so by filling out the Report Bullying form. If you wish to file a formal complaint with the District Office, please do so by filling out the Uniform Complaint Form.

For more information and resources on bullying, visit http://www.stopbullying.gov.

What is a Uniform Complaint?
A Uniform Complaint is an official complaint alleging discrimination, harassment, intimidation, and/or bullying and unauthorized charging of pupil fees for educational activities. SLCUSD seeks to resolve complaints early and through informal resolution whenever possible and appropriate. To resolve complaints which cannot be resolved through early, informal process, the district will seek to resolve those complaints in accordance with the procedures set out in Sections 4600-4687 of the Title 5 Regulations and the policies and procedures of the District.

What type of complaints are investigated through the Uniform Complaint Procedures?
SLCUSD utilized the Uniform Complaint Process to investigate and resolve complaints related to:

• Unlawful discrimination, harassment, intimidation, or bullying based on actual or perceived disability, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, nationality, race or ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation
• Bullying or hazing
• Complaints alleging failure to comply with state or federal law in adult basic education, consolidated categorical aid programs, migrant education, vocational education, child care and development programs and special education programs
• Non-UCP complaints

What type of complaint is not investigated through the UCP?

• Any complaint alleging child abuse or neglect [referred to the County Department of Social Services, the County Protective Services Division, and the appropriate law enforcement agency]
• Any complaint alleging health and safety violations by a child development program [referred to Department of Social Services (licensed facilities) or Child Development regional administrator (licensing-exempt facilities)
• Any complaint alleging employment discrimination [referred to California Department of Fair Employment and Housing]
• Any complaints alleging fraud [referred to California Department of Education]
•  Any complaints related to sufficiency of textbooks or instructional materials, emergency or urgent facilities conditions that pose a threat to the health or safety of students or staff, or teacher vacancies or mis-assignments [see Williams Uniform Complaints]

What is the deadline to file a complaint?
A complaint alleging retaliation or unlawful discrimination (such as discriminatory harassment, intimidation, or bullying) must be filed not later than six months from the date it occurred, or six months from the date the complainant first obtained knowledge of the facts of the alleged unlawful discrimination. The time for filing may be extended for up to 90 days by the Superintendent or designee for good cause upon written request by the complainant setting forth the reasons for the extension.

What is the timeline for the investigation?
The district will investigate and resolve the uniform complaint within 60 calendar days of the District’s receipt of the written complaint. Timelines may be extended provided there is written agreement from the complainant for such an extension of time.

Resources

Uniform Complaint Procedures Board Policy and Administrative Regulation. Spanish Version. 

Non-Discrimination/Harassment Board Policy and Administrative Regulation

Safe Schools Resolution

What is a Williams Complaint?
A Williams Complaint allows a student, family, teacher, or any member of the public, to file grievances regarding:

Insufficient textbooks and instructional materials
You can file if a student, including an English learner, does not have standards-aligned textbooks, instructional materials,  state or district-adopted textbooks or other required instructional materials to use in class. You can also file if a student does not have access to textbooks or instructional materials to use at home or after school,  their textbooks or instructional materials are in poor or unusable condition, have missing pages, or are unreadable due to damage,  or a student was provided photocopied sheets from only a portion of a textbook

Teacher vacancy or misassignment
If the semester begins and a teacher vacancy exists, a teacher is assigned to teach a class for which the teacher lacks subject matter competency,  a teacher lacks credentials or training to teach English learners is assigned to teach a class with more than 20% English learner students in the class, you can file a Williams Complaint.

Facility conditions
When a facility condition poses an emergency or urgent threat to the health or safety of students or staff or a school restroom has not been cleaned, maintained or kept open in accordance to Ed. Code, you can file a Williams Complaint.

Resources
Williams Complaint Administrative Regulation
California Department of Education: The Williams Case -- An Explanation

What is Title IX?
Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 provides that 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 academic, extracurricular, research, occupation training, or other education program or activity operated by a recipient which receives federal financial assistance. Relevant here, Title IX requires San Luis Coastal Unified School District (SLCUSD) to take immediate and appropriate action to investigate when it knows or reasonably should know of a possible Title IX violation.

What are students’ rights?
Education Code section 221.8 provides as follows:

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 USC Sec 1681 et seq.) may be used by the department for purposes of Section 221.6:

• You have the right to fair and equitable treatment and you shall not be discriminated against based on your sex.
• You have the right to be provided with an equitable opportunity to participate in all academic extracurricular activities, including athletics.
• You have the right to inquire of the athletic director of your school as to the athletic opportunities offered by the school.
• You have the right to receive equitable treatment and benefits in the provision of all of the following:
  • Equipment and supplies
  • Scheduling of games and practices
  • Transportation
  • Access to tutoring
  • Coaching
  • Locker rooms
  • Practice and competitive facilities
  • Medical and training facilities and services
  • Publicity
• You have the right to have access to a gender equity coordinator to answer questions regarding gender equity laws.
• You have the right to contact the State Department of Education and the California Interscholastic Federation to access information on gender equity laws. 
• 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 sex.
• You have the right to pursue civil remedies if you have been discriminated against.
• You have the right to be protected against retaliation if you file a discrimination complaint.

How to file a complaint with SLCUSD
Student complaints must be submitted in written form using the Uniform Complaint Form. If the complainant is unable to prepare the complaint in writing, administrative staff will help him/her to do so. 

What is the timeline for filing the complaint?
A complaint must be filed not later than six months from the date it occurred, or six months from the date the complainant first obtained knowledge of the facts of the alleged unlawful discrimination. The time for filing may be extended for up to 90 days by the Superintendent or designee for good cause upon written request by the complainant setting forth the reasons for the extension.

All complaints will be appropriately investigated in a timely manner. Within 10 business days after the compliance officer receives the complaint, the compliance officer will begin an investigation into the complaint. The investigation will include an opportunity for the complainant, or the complainant's representative, or both, to present the compliance officer, or designee, with evidence, or information leading to evidence, to support the allegations in the complaint. SLCUSD shall issue a written decision based on the evidence within 60 calendar days from receipt of the written complaint at SLCUSD.

Any complainant who is dissatisfied with SLCUSD's final written decision may file an appeal in writing with the California Department of Education within 15 calendar days of receiving SLCUSD's decision.

Complaints made by or on behalf of students may also be filed with the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Civil Rights within 180 calendar days of the date of the alleged discrimination, unless the time for filing is extended by the Office of Civil Rights for good cause shown under certain circumstances.

Resources
Uniform Complaint Procedures Board Policy and Administrative Regulation
United States Department of Education Office for Civil Rights - 1.800.421.3481
California Department of Education - Office for Equal Opportunity - 1.916.445.9174