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Eliminating Hostile Environments

Gain information on strategies to eliminate hostile environments and learn procedures for reporting disability-based discrimination and harassment in the Los Angeles Unified School District's Division of Special Education.

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Eliminating Hostile Environments

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  1. Eliminating Hostile Environments Los Angeles Unified School District Division of Special Education

  2. Objectives • Gain information on strategies that eliminate hostile environments • Awareness of procedures for reporting disability based discrimination-harassment

  3. District Commitment to Students and Parents • Students are to attend schools in an environment that is conducive to learning and teaching: Safe Welcome Supported Nurtured Protected

  4. Laws and District Policy Exist to Protect Our Students • Federal Law • State Law • District Policy

  5. Parent / Student Notification • Parent Student Handbook Distribution • “Title IX and Nondiscrimination” • Distributed to secondary students • Topics discussed with elementary students • “Section 504 and Students with Disabilities” • Distributed to all students

  6. What is Section 504? • Section 504 is a civil rights statue that prohibits discrimination/harassment on the basis of a disability. • Section 504 defines an individual with a disability as: “A person who has a physical or mental impairment which substantially limits one or more major life activities.”

  7. Definition of Disability-Based Harassment • Unwanted • Based on disability • Severe or pervasive • Objectively offensive • Effectively denies equal access to a school’s resources and opportunities.

  8. What is Bullying? • Habitual cruelty to others weaker or perceived to be weaker than oneself. • Aggressive behavior that involves an imbalance of real or perceived physical or psychological power among those involved.

  9. Forms of Hostile Environments • Physical • Verbal • Nonverbal • Emotional (Psychological) • Cyber Bullying

  10. Schools Must Respond • The lack of a strong, immediate response by a teacher or administrator who is aware of the harassment may be perceived by a student as approval of the activity or as an indication that the student deserves the harassment.

  11. What should be done • Staff should meet with your child to learn about the bullying that he or she has experienced. • A plan should be developed to keep your child safe and be watchful for any future bullying. • Educators and parents should be careful not to “blame the victim.”

  12. Strategies in Place to Guarantee a Safe Learning Environment • District Wide • District Discipline Foundation Policy • District’s policy and procedures regarding harassment • Yearly training for staff and students. • School Site • Parent handbook, Title IX and Nondiscrimination brochures, Assemblies, Social Skill Instruction • School Wide Positive Behavior Support System

  13. Strategies at Home • Talk to your child about school, behavior and responsibility • Teach your children assertiveness and conflict resolution • Know school rules • Know laws and policies that prohibit harassment • Alert school to incidents of bullying and harassment • Know complaint procedures

  14. Strategies at Home • Talk with your child’s teacher, dean or counselor • Schedule a conference with a school administrator • Provide your concerns in writing • Ask to know the disposition of any investigations • Seek out supports • Speak to Educational Service Center personnel (i.e., Operations Administrator)

  15. Rights to Appeal School-Site Decisions or Actions • Principal • Educational Service Center personnel • Educational Equity Compliance Office • Provide your concerns in writing • District prohibits retaliation against anyone for filing a complaint or appeal or participating in a complaint investigation

  16. Uniform Complaint Procedure • If not satisfied with the school site resolution, parent, student, staff, or any person may file a written complaint or appeal with: • Educational Service Centers • Educational Equity Compliance Office

  17. Board Rule 133 Complaints • Charge or complaint against a District employee shall be in writing • Filed with the Executive Officer of the Board of Education – (213) 241-7002 • Will be investigated with a written response from the Board President

  18. Equity in Programs and Activities for ALL Students • Equal rights and opportunities: • To attend school and participate in courses and programs, regardless of protected category • To counseling opportunities • To extracurricular activities • To honors, special awards, scholarships, and graduation activities

  19. District Resources to Support & Assist Parents and Students • School principal/administrator • Educational Service Centers • Special Education Educational Service Centers • Educational Equity Compliance Office

  20. LAUSD is committed to making sure that students know and feel that they are safe and protected in our schools.

  21. For more information call: Educational Equity Compliance Office, (213) 241-7682 Visit our website: Go to LAUSDnet; then, “District Info”: then, Administrative Offices- Click on: Educational Equity Compliance

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