[BHS Etree] BUSD: District Sexual Harassment & Discrimination Update

Wed Mar 8 19:44:21 PST 2017

PLEASE do not reply to this email.

March 8, 2017

Dear BUSD Middle and High School Families/*Estimadas Familias con
Estudiantes en Secundaria y Preparatoria en BUSD:*

We are writing to reiterate our commitment to protecting all of our
students from sexual harassment and all forms of bullying and
discrimination, as well as to update you on some of the actions we have
taken in recent months.

We are pleased to announce that our new Title IX Coordinator and Compliance
Officer, Dana Clark, began today.  Ms. Clark brings a wealth of experience
and talent to this position. She will coordinate our efforts to prevent
instances of harassment and discrimination, as well as our responses to
incidents that do occur.  She will also be leading our efforts to simplify
our complaint processes, a project we have already undertaken and will be
continuing at a public meeting of the School Board’s Policy Subcommittee
tomorrow, March 9, at 2:30 pm in room 126 at 2020 Bonar Street.

We are also pleased to announce that the District has hired nuri nusrat, a
restorative justice expert with Impact Justice
<http://impactjustice.org/restorative-justice-project/> who specializes in
working with victims of sexual harm, on a part-time basis to work at
Berkeley High to facilitate resolution of complicated sexual harassment
cases.  Though it is sometimes misunderstood, restorative justice is
victim-oriented in a way that more traditional discipline is not.  We
believe it holds great promise for addressing many (but not necessarily
all) cases of harm caused by one student to another.

Administrators at Berkeley High, in addition to their responsibilities to
investigate any and all reports of sexual harassment and bullying, have
been involved in a number of efforts to ensure that we are working not only
to respond to reports of harassment but to prevent harassment from taking
place.  This year, our 9th grade students participated in an assembly, with
support from student leaders from BHS Stop Harassing, in which students
were educated about consent and harassment, and discussed how to build
relationships based on trust, respect and safety. In addition, the first
group of 32 Berkeley High School students participated in the Green Dot
Upstander training
<http://myemail.constantcontact.com/College---Career-Week--Parent-Survey--Immigrant-Family-Resources--Emergency-Prep-Fair--Art-Exhibit--Green-Dot-Training.html?soid=1103211070473&aid=GX5Y4S0s4HU>,
a violence prevention program that was recommended to us by the District’s
Sexual Harassment Advisory Committee (SHAC).  We anticipate training
another group of students by the end of April, and the goal is for Green
Dot to become a school-wide initiative.

The full list of actions we have taken to address this critical issue is
too long to include in one letter, but you can view it here
<http://www.berkeleyschools.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/ActionStepstoAddressSexualHarassment3.8.17.docx-1.pdf>
.

While there is much work to be done, we are heartened by the tireless
efforts of our administrators, teachers, and staff, as well as the advocacy
of our students and their families.  We look forward to continuing the work
in partnership with this wonderful and caring community.

Sincerely,

Donald Evans, Ed.D.                 Ty Alper
Erin Schweng

Superintendent                          Board President
    Principal, BHS

8 de marzo 2017

Estimadas Familias con Estudiantes en Secundaria y Preparatoria en BUSD

Estamos escribiendo para reiterar nuestro compromiso para proteger a todos
nuestros estudiantes del acoso sexual y todas las formas de bullying y
discriminación, así como para notificarle acerca de algunas acciones que
hemos tomado durante los recientes meses.

Nos complace el anunciar que nuestra nueva *Title IX Coordinator y
Compliance Officer*, Dana Clark, comenzó a trabajar con BUSD el día de
hoy.  La Sra. Clark trae consigo una abundancia de experiencia y talento a
este puesto. Ella coordinará nuestros esfuerzos para prevenir situaciones
relacionadas con el acoso o discriminación, así como con nuestras
respuestas para los incidentes que ocurren.  Ella también estará a cargo de
nuestros esfuerzos para simplificar nuestros procesos de denuncias, un
proyecto que ya hemos comenzado y el cual continuaremos en una reunión
abierta al público mañana en el School Board's Policy Subcommittee, 9 de
marzo a las 2:30 p.m. en el room 126 en el 2020 Bonar Street.

Nos complace también el anunciar que el Distrito ha contratado a nuri
nusrat, una experta en restorative justice con Impact Justice
<http://impactjustice.org/restorative-justice-project/> la cual se
especializa en trabajar con víctimas de daño sexual, para trabajar tiempo
parcial en Berkeley High en los casos de acoso sexual complicados.  A pesar
de que algunas veces es mal interpretado, *restorative justice* tiene una
orientación hacia las víctimas de una forma con la cual la disciplina
tradicional no cuenta.  Creemos que sostiene una gran promesa para hacer
frente a muchos (pero no necesariamente a todos) casos de daño causados de
un estudiante hacia otro.

Los Administradores en Berkeley High School, además de sus
responsabilidades de investigar cualesquier y todos los reportes de acoso
sexual y bullying, han estado involucrados en un número de esfuerzos para
asegurar que nosotros estamos trabajando no únicamente para responder a los
reportes de acoso sino para prevenir que el acoso suceda. Nuestros
estudiantes del noveno (9) grado participaron en una asamblea, con el
respaldo de los estudiantes líderes de BHS para Detener el Acoso, en la
cual ellos fueron educados acerca del consentimiento, acoso y conversaron
acerca de cómo crear relaciones basadas en la confianza, respeto y
seguridad. Además, el primer grupo de 32 estudiantes de Berkeley High
School participó en el entrenamiento *Green Dot Bystander
<http://myemail.constantcontact.com/College---Career-Week--Parent-Survey--Immigrant-Family-Resources--Emergency-Prep-Fair--Art-Exhibit--Green-Dot-Training.html?soid=1103211070473&aid=GX5Y4S0s4HU>,*
un
programa de prevención de la violencia que nos recomendó el *Sexual
Harassment Advisory Committee* (SHAC) del Distrito.  Estamos anticipando el
entrenar a otro grupo de estudiantes para finales de abril, y la meta es
que *Green Dot* se convierta en una iniciativa en toda la escuela. La lista
completa de medidas que hemos tomado para enfrentar esta cuestión tan
crítica es muy larga para incluirla en una carta, pero usted puede
encontrarlo en este enlace
<http://www.berkeleyschools.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/ActionStepstoAddressSexualHarassment3.8.17.docx-1.pdf>
.

A pesar de que existe mucho trabajo por hacer, nos reconfortan los
incansables esfuerzos de nuestros administradores, maestros y personal
docente, así como la abogacía de nuestros estudiantes y de sus familias.
  Esperamos con gran interés el continuar trabajando en colaboración con
esta maravillosa y bondadosa comunidad.

Sinceramente,

Donald Evans, Ed.D.               Ty Alper
        Erin Schweng

Superintendente                      Presidente, La Mesa Directiva
 Directora, BHS

_____________________________

Marguerite Fa-Kaji, Catherine Ference and Dylan Kaufman are the
parent-volunteer facilitators of the Etree; please direct any questions
about the Etree to them at bhs-owner at lmi.net.

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BUSD Non-Discrimination Statement / la Política de No Discriminación:
http://bit.ly/BUSDNDPolicy

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