Title IX

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. Please refer to Board Policy 5145.3 and Administrative Regulation 5145.3 for more information on the District’s anti-discrimination policies.

Title IX information provided here applies to every school site and to all District programs and activities.

Rights Under Title IX

• You have the following rights under Title IX, to the extent applicable at the District:
• You have the right to fair and equitable treatment and you shall not be discriminated against based on your
• You have the right to be provided with an equitable opportunity to participate in all academic extracurricular activities, including
• You have the right to inquire of the athletic director of your school or appropriate District personnel as to the athletic opportunities offered by the
• You have the right to apply for athletic scholarships if the District offers
• You have the right to receive equitable treatment and benefits in the provision of all of the following related to athletics, if any are provided by the District:
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  • Equipment and supplies;
  • Scheduling of games and practices;
  • Transportation and daily allowances;
  • Access to tutoring;
  • Coaching;
  • Locker rooms;
  • Practice and competitive facilities;
  • Medical and training facilities and services; and
• You have the right to have access to a sex/gender equity coordinator, referred to as the Title IX Coordinator, to answer questions regarding sex/gender equity
• You have the right to contact the State Department of Education and the California Interscholastic Federation to access information on sex/gender equity
• You have the right to file a confidential discrimination complaint with the United States Department of Education Office for Civil Rights or the California 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
• You have the right to pursue civil remedies if you have been discriminated
• You have the right to be protected against retaliation if you file a discrimination complaint. (California Education Code § 8.)

The District has a responsibility to respond promptly and effectively to sex-based discrimination, including sexual harassment and sexual violence. If the District knows or reasonably should know about sex discrimination, it must take action to eliminate the sex discrimination, prevent its recurrence, and address its effects. The District must resolve complaints of sex discrimination promptly and equitably. Information on filing a complaint alleging sex-based discrimination is below, including contact information for the District’s Title IX Coordinator.

For more information specific to anti-discrimination in District employment, please contact the Title IX Coordinator.

Learn more about your rights under Title IX:

• Visit the website of the United States Department of Education Office for Civil Rights at http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/index.html and the webpage on sex discrimination at http://www2.ed.gov/policy/rights/guid/ocr/sex.html.
• Review United States Department of Education Office for Civil Rights, Know Your Rights documents:
  • Title IX prohibits sexual harassment and sexual violence (PDF).
  • Title IX requires the District to address sexual violence (PDF).
  • Title IX prohibits discrimination against pregnant or parenting individuals (PDF).
• Visit the website of the California Department of Education Office of Equal Opportunity at http://www.cde.ca.gov/re/di/eo/ and the webpage on Gender Equity/Title IX at http://www.cde.ca.gov/re/di/eo/genequitytitleix.asp.
  
  How to File a Complaint

The District has a Title IX Coordinator who oversees the District’s compliance with Title IX requirements and promotes sex equity in the District’s programs.  Contact the District’s Title IX Coordinator:

The Uniform Complaint Procedure is available Here, if you need assistance putting your complaint in writing, please contact Superintendent at 12300 Anderson Valley Way, Boonville, CA 95415. You may file a complaint anonymously, but the District’s ability to investigate and respond may be limited by a lack of information.

You may also file a discrimination complaint with the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights.  For more information, visit http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/complaintintro.html. The electronic complaint form for the Office for Civil Rights is available online at https://ocrcas.ed.gov/. Contact the Office for Civil Rights at:

A complaint alleging unlawful discrimination or retaliation must be filed no later than six months from the date the discrimination or retaliation occurred, or six months from when the complainant first learned of the unlawful discrimination. The Superintendent or designee may extend this timeline by up to ninety days for good cause, upon written request by the complainant setting forth the reasons for the extension.

Investigation Process
For complaints filed under the Uniform Complaint Procedure, the compliance officer will prepare and send a final written decision to the complainant and respondent, if any, within 30 days of the District’s receipt of the complaint (unless this deadline is extended by mutual agreement). The District’s compliance officer or designee may interview alleged victims, alleged offenders, and relevant witnesses. The compliance officer may review available records, statements, or notes related to the complaint, including evidence or information received from the parties during the investigation. The compliance officer may visit reasonably accessible locations where discrimination is alleged to have occurred. As appropriate, the District’s compliance officer periodically will inform the parties of the status of the investigation.  The complainant will be notified when a decision is made.

Complaints that are not filed under the District’s Uniform Complaint Procedure will be investigated and decided pursuant to the applicable procedure.

For complaints alleging unlawful discrimination based on state law, the complainant may pursue available civil law remedies, including seeking assistance from mediation centers or public/private interest attorneys, sixty calendar days after filing an appeal with the California Department of Education. (California Education Code § 262.3.)  Note that this sixty day moratorium does not apply to complaint seeking injunctive relief in state courts or to discrimination complaints based on federal law. (California Education Code § 262.3.).

Complaints may also be filed with the United States Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights, within 180 days of the alleged discrimination. For contact information, see the section above on “How do I file a complaint of sex discrimination?” For more information, visit http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/complaintintro.html. If the Compliance officer finds that a complaint has merit, the District will take appropriate corrective action.