San Diego Unified School District Agrees to Revamp Response to Harassment Claims

A recent announcement from the U.S. Department of Education revealed an agreement between the San Diego Unified School District to overhaul its handling of harassment claims following a history of inadequate responses.

Over a three-year period, education officials reviewed 253 reports and complaints from students, uncovering a pattern where the district failed to meet Title IX regulatory requirements in addressing allegations of sexual harassment.

The complaints, spanning from 2017 to 2020, highlighted deficiencies in the district's response under the leadership of former SDUSD superintendent Cindy Marten, now serving as the U.S. Deputy Secretary of Education.

The Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights found that the school district was lacking in providing an equitable response to allegations of sex discrimination, sexual harassment, and sexual assault. It also noted a failure to properly coordinate responses through the designated Title IX coordinator and follow established complaint procedures.

As part of the agreement with the Department of Education, SDUSD has committed to several measures aimed at enhancing its response to sexual harassment complaints. These steps include a review of past complaints for further action, annual age-appropriate training for students in grades 3-12 on recognizing and reporting sexual harassment, and training for district employees on their obligations in responding to such reports.

What do you think?

• Do you believe the measures outlined in the agreement are sufficient to address the issues in the SDUSD?
• Should there be more oversight to ensure compliance with Title IX regulations in all school districts?
• How can schools better support students who come forward with harassment claims?