Title IX / Bullying / Harassment / Suicide Prevention

What is 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. Title IX states: "No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance."

Title IX protects all participants in Ventura County Office of Education (“VCOE”) educational programs and activities, including students, parents, employees, and job applicants. VCOE 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.

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

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What are my rights under Title IX?

You have the following rights under Title IX, to the extent applicable at VCOE. Please note that VCOE does not offer competitive athletics as defined by California Education Code 221.9(e).

California Education Code § 221.5-231.5 provides a complete list of rights, including:

(a) You have the right to fair and equitable treatment and you shall not be discriminated against based on your sex.

(b) You have the right to be provided with an equitable opportunity to participate in all academic extracurricular activities, including athletics.

(c) You have the right to inquire of the athletic director of your school as to the athletic opportunities offered by the school.

(d) You have the right to apply for athletic scholarships.

(e) You have the right to receive equitable treatment and benefits in the provision of all of the following:

(1) Equipment and supplies.

(2) Scheduling of games and practices.

(3) Transportation and daily allowances.

(4) Access to tutoring.

(5) Coaching.

(6) Locker rooms.

(7) Practice and competitive facilities.

(8) Medical and training facilities and services.

(9) Publicity.

(f) You have the right to have access to a gender equity coordinator to answer questions regarding gender equity laws.

(g) You have the right to contact the State Department of Education and the California Interscholastic Federation to access information on gender equity laws.

(h) 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 your sex.

(i) You have the right to pursue civil remedies if you have been discriminated against.

(j) You have the right to be protected against retaliation if you file a discrimination complaint.

VCOE has a responsibility to respond promptly and effectively to sex-based discrimination, including sexual harassment and sexual violence. If VCOE knows or reasonably should know about sex discrimination, it must take action to eliminate the sex discrimination, prevent its recurrence, and address its effects. VCOE must resolve complaints of sex discrimination promptly and equitably.
 

Title IX Training

 

Additional Information and Resources

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

 

How to File a Complaint

Click here to download the VCOE complaint form, complete the form and send it to the appropriate Title IX Coordinator listed below.

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.

 

VCOE Compliance Officers / Title IX Coordinators


Ventura County Office of Education
Dr. Juan Manuel Santos
Chief Human Resources Officer
5189 Verdugo Way
Camarillo, California 93012
805-383-9337

 

VCOE Special Education Schools
Holly Minear
Executive Director of Special Education
5250 Adolfo Road
Camarillo, California 93012
805-383-1924

 

Gateway and Providence Schools
Stefanie Rodriguez
Director of Alternative Education
200 Horizon Circle 
Camarillo, California 93010
805-437-1460

 

Relevant VCOE Policies

 

When Must a Complaint Be Filed?

A complaint alleging retaliation or unlawful discrimination, (such as discriminatory harassment, intimidation, or bullying), must be filed not later than six (6) months from the date occurred, or six (6) 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 ninety (90) days by the Superintendent or designee for good cause upon written request by the complainant setting forth the reasons for the extension.

 

How will a Complaint be Investigated?

Within ten (10) business days after the compliance officer receives the complaint, the compliance officer shall begin an investigation into the complaint.

In conducting the investigation, the compliance officer shall collect all available documents and review all available records, notes, or statements related to the complaint, including any additional evidence or information received from the parties during the course of the investigation. They shall individually interview all available witnesses with information pertinent to the complaint, and may visit any reasonably accessible location where the relevant actions are alleged to have taken place. At appropriate intervals, the compliance officer shall inform both parties of the status of the investigation.

To investigate a complaint alleging retaliation or unlawful discrimination (such as discriminatory harassment, intimidation, or bullying), the compliance officer shall interview the alleged victim(s), any alleged offenders, and other relevant witnesses privately, separately, and in a confidential manner. As necessary, additional staff or legal counsel may conduct or support the investigation.

Unless extended by written agreement with the complainant, the compliance officer shall prepare and send to the complainant, and respondent if there is one, a written report within sixty (60) calendar days of VCOE's receipt of the complaint.  (5 CCR 4631)

For complaints of unlawful discrimination (such as discriminatory harassment, intimidation, or bullying), the decision may, as required by law, include:

  1. Notice of the complainant’s and respondent’s right to appeal VCOE's decision to the CDE within fifteen (15) calendar days, and procedures to be followed for initiating such an appeal

For complaints alleging unlawful discrimination based on state law (such as discriminatory harassment, intimidation, and bullying), the decision shall also include a notice to the complainant that:

  1. They may pursue available civil law remedies outside of VCOE's complaint procedures, including seeking assistance from mediation centers or public/private interest attorneys, sixty (60) calendar days after the filing of an appeal with the CDE. (Education Code 262.3)
  2. The sixty (60) days moratorium does not apply to complaints seeking injunctive relief in state courts or to discrimination complaints based on federal law. (Education Code 262.3)
  3. Complaints alleging discrimination based on race, color, national origin, sex, gender, disability, or age may also be filed with the U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights at www.ed.gov/ocr within one hundred eighty (180) days of the alleged discrimination.

 

What Happens When the Investigation is Complete?

Unless extended by written agreement with the complainant, the compliance officer shall prepare and send to the complainant, and respondent if there is one, a written report within sixty (60) calendar days of VCOE's receipt of the complaint.  (5 CCR 4631)

For complaints of unlawful discrimination (such as discriminatory harassment, intimidation, or bullying), the decision may, as required by law, include:

  1. Notice of the complainant’s and respondent’s right to appeal VCOE's decision to the CDE within fifteen (15) calendar days, and procedures to be followed for initiating such an appeal

For complaints alleging unlawful discrimination based on state law (such as discriminatory harassment, intimidation, and bullying), the decision shall also include a notice to the complainant that:

  1. They may pursue available civil law remedies outside of VCOE's complaint procedures, including seeking assistance from mediation centers or public/private interest attorneys, sixty (60) calendar days after the filing of an appeal with the CDE. (Education Code 262.3)
  2. The sixty (60) days moratorium does not apply to complaints seeking injunctive relief in state courts or to discrimination complaints based on federal law. (Education Code 262.3)
  3. Complaints alleging discrimination based on race, color, national origin, sex, gender, disability, or age may also be filed with the U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights at www.ed.gov/ocr within one hundred eighty (180) days of the alleged discrimination.

If the compliance officer finds that a complaint has merit, VCOE will take appropriate corrective action.

For more information, visit the California Department of Education’s webpage on Uniform Complaint Procedures:

http://www.cde.ca.gov/re/cp/uc/index.asp.

Complaints may also be filed with the United States Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights, within one hundred eighty (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.

 

 

 

Suicide Awareness & Prevention

 
 
 

Legislative Requirements

Beginning in the 2020–21 school year, all local educational agencies (county office of education, school districts, state special schools, and charter schools) must adopt, at a regularly scheduled meeting, a policy on pupil suicide prevention that includes kindergarten and grades 1 to 6, inclusive. The policy shall be developed in consultation with school and community stakeholders, the county mental health plan, school-employed mental health professionals, and suicide prevention experts and shall, at a minimum, address procedures relating to suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention. All local educational agencies should already have an existing adopted policy on suicide prevention for grades 7 to 12, required for the 2017-2018 school year (Ed. Code 215)

VCOE’s Suicide Prevention Board Policy states:

Measures and strategies shall include:

  • Address the needs of high-risk goups
  • Provide provision of information to parents/guardians regarding risk factors and warning signs of suicide,
  • Be age-appropriate and sensitive to the needs of young students,
  • Include community resources that can help youth in crisis, 
  • Address any trainings on suicide awareness and prevention to be provided to teachers of all grade levels. 

 

Youth Suicide Prevention Policy Development Resources

Trainings

FREE SUICIDE PREVENTION TRAINING FOR MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS AND STAFF

LivingWorks Start, a 90-minute online training program, teaches life-saving skills to recognize and support those in need. Funded by
Assembly Bill 1808, this interactive training is available at no cost to California middle and high school students (13 years and older) and staff.

You can download a flyer with links to the training here: Livingwork Start

You can also access the training directly at: https://www.lwyouthsummit.com/access-training

FREE TRAINING FOR SCHOOL LEADERS

The Suicide Prevention Ongoing Resilience Training (SPORT) project provides training, support, and resources to implement a sustainable system to deliver suicide prevention, intervention, postvention, and SEL content to school leaders while complying with AB2246 and AB 1767 mandates. Information and registration can be found here: SPORT.

Student ID Card Template

All local educational agencies that serve grades 7-12 and issues student id cards, must print the telephone numbers for suicide prevention and domestic violence hotline numbers on either side of the card. Template for Student ID Cards:  

Go to vcoe.org (22-23%20Suicide%20Prevention%20Card subpage)

Youth Suicide Warning Signs

Much needed attention has been given to developing suicide awareness and prevention programs for youth, such as safeTALK; however, a solid understanding and agreement on the warning signs for youth suicide has never been accomplished. To address this gap in knowledge, a panel of national and international experts convened to help the public better understand the way youth think, feel, and behave prior to making life-threatening suicide attempts and inform them about how to effectively respond. The main goal was to determine what changes immediately preceded suicide attempts or deaths that are supported by research. 

The newly agreed upon list of warning signs and additional resources for how to respond to recognized risk was recently released:

  1. Talking about or making plans for suicide.
  2. Expressing hopelessness about the future.
  3. Displaying severe/overwhelming emotional pain or distress.
  4. Showing worrisome behavioral cues or marked changes in behavior, particularly in the presence of the warning signs above. Specifically, this includes significant:
  • Withdrawal from or changing in social connections/situations
  • Changes in sleep (increased or decreased)
  • Anger or hostility that seems out of character or out of context
  • Recent increased agitation or irritability 

More information can be found at Youth Suicide Warning Signs


Additional Resources

  1. AB 1767 Resource Guide for Elementary Schools (PDF)
  2. After a Suicide: A Toolkit for Schools
  3. California Department of Education - Youth Suicide Prevention Information - Legislation, publications and additional resources
  4. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - Additional resources and statistics on youth suicide
  5. Comprehensive Suicide Prevention Toolkit for Schools (PDF)
  6. High School Suicide Prevention Toolkit (SAMHSA, June 2012)
  7. KeepSafe Connections - List of local and national agencies and their contact information.
  8. Local and National Resource Guide for Districts and Schools
  9. National Institute of Mental Health - A wealth of resources regarding various mental health issues in the U.S.
  10. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline - A 24-hour, toll-free, confidential suicide prevention hotline available to anyone in a suicidal crisis or emotional distress
    * Call a suicide hotline number
    - 877-727-4747 (24 hours/7 days) Adults - Ventura County Suicide Prevention Center Crisis Line
    - 866-431-2478 (24 hours/7 days) Children and Families' Crisis Line
    - 800-273-TALK (24 hours/7 days) National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
    Trained counselors for free, confidential help
  11. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
  12. Suicide Prevention Awareness
  13. The Trevor Project: A Model School Policy on Suicide Prevention
    The Trevor Project, a leading national organization, offers a policy model for school districts with recommended language that will address prevention, assessment, intervention and response to youth suicide behavior.
  14. Ventura County 211 - Health and human services referral line
  15. Ventura County Behavioral Health Crisis Guidelines for Schools
  16. Ventura County Wellness Everyday
  17. Youth Suicide Warning Signs

Last updated January 3, 2024