San Diego Unified School District

A page made by students,

for students!

This page was made by students, for students: to help you understand your rights and feel empowered to take action when something isn’t right!

Every student deserves to feel safe, respected, and supported at school. That’s why we’ve created this resource to guide you through important topics like Title IX protections, bullying and harassment, restorative discipline, civil rights, and student-employee boundaries. Whether you’re experiencing an issue, helping a friend, or just want to be informed, this site breaks down the information you need to stand up for yourself and others.

Understanding Title IX & Sexual Harassment

Title IX is a law that protects all students, no matter their gender, against unwanted sexual behavior, inappropriate comments, unwanted touching or advances, sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, stalking in schools, and gender discrimination. This ensures a safe and equitable learning environment for all.

If you or someone you know has experienced unfair treatment or harassment, you can report it as a student, parent/guardian, legal representative, or school employee (current or former).

Bullying

Bullying, intimidation, and retaliation are serious concerns but support is available. Our district is dedicated to fostering a safe and respectful learning environment for every student.

Bullying can take many forms, including physical actions like hitting or pushing, verbal abuse such as name-calling or threats, written or online harassment through messages or social media, and exclusion—intentionally leaving someone out to hurt them. It becomes a serious issue when it causes fear, harms a student’s physical or mental well-being, disrupts learning, or makes it hard for them to participate in school activities.

Intimidation happens when someone uses threats or fear to control another person, while retaliation occurs when someone targets a student for reporting bullying. Any student or adult involved in bullying, intimidation, or retaliation may face consequences based on district policies.

There are many different resources for bullying. If you are looking to report it, 

visit: https://secure.ethicspoint.com/domain/media/en/gui/55492/index.html

If you are looking for helpful resources, check out the links below! 

https://www.stopbullying.gov/resources/teens

Student Misconduct/Restorative Discipline 

Restorative discipline focuses on learning from mistakes, repairing harm, and making positive changes rather than just punishment. Instead of automatic suspensions or expulsions, schools use conversations, counseling, and support systems to help students take responsibility and improve their behavior.

The Restorative discipline policy follows a structured approach based on the severity of student behavior, ensuring that students receive the support and guidance needed to correct their actions. Please see below for the levels of severity:

The Restorative discipline policy matters because it encourages students take responsibility, repair harm, and stay engaged in school. Rather than solely focusing on punishment, this approach encourages students to learn from their mistakes, rebuild relationships, and contribute to a safer and more positive school environment.

Employee Student Boundaries

The purpose of this policy is to outline the boundaries staff, students, volunteers, and community members must have with children to ensure a safe and professional learning environment.

Adults are expected to have professional and ethical interactions with students. All employees must have a space supportive to learning through necessary discipline while maintaining professional and clear boundaries.

Students and employee's interactions should be of mutual respect and respect while following the appropriate boundaries in and outside of educational settings. 

Employees should not intrude on a student’s physical and emotional boundaries unless necessary for a legitimate educational reason. Violations of emotional boundaries are but not limited to favoritism, frustration mismanagement, and engaging in overly personal discussions without a valid reason. Employees should recognize their role is an educator not a peer, parent, therapist, or friend to a student. 

When a possible violation of employee student boundaries is reported, the site supervisor and the assigned human resources officer will conduct an immediate investigation using the procedures for investigations of allegations of serious misconduct. The investigation shall include a review of the full history of concerns regarding the concern/complaint. If necessary, immediate intervention will be taken to protect the safety of the student and/or the integrity of the investigation.

For more information or a more thorough explanation please refer to https://www.sandiegounified.org/common/pages/getfile.ashx?key=wosdayix

Anna Ward

Title IX Coordinator 

(619) 725-7225 Telephone 

(619) 725-5529 FAX

[email protected]

Office of Investigations, Compliance, & Accountability

619-725-7211 Telephone

[email protected]