http:\/\/bellinghamschools.org\/policies-and-procedures\/<\/a><\/p>\nComplaint Options: Discrimination or Sexual Harassment<\/h2>\n
If you believe that you or your child have experienced unlawful discrimination, discriminatory harassment, or sexual harassment at school, you have the right to file a complaint.
\nBefore filing a complaint, you can discuss your concerns with your child\u2019s principal or with the school district\u2019s Section 504 Coordinator, Title IX Officer, or Civil Rights Coordinator, who are listed above. This is often the fastest way to resolve your concerns.<\/p>\n
Complaint to the School District<\/h3>\nStep 1. Write Our Your Complaint<\/h4>\n
In most cases, complaints must be filed within one year from the date of the incident or conduct that is the subject of the complaint. A complaint must be in writing. Be sure to describe the conduct or incident, explain why you believe discrimination, discriminatory harassment, or sexual harassment has taken place, and describe what actions you believe the district should take to resolve the problem. Send your written complaint\u2014by mail, fax, email, or hand delivery\u2014to the district superintendent or civil rights compliance coordinator.<\/p>\n
Step 2: School District Investigates Your Complaint<\/h4>\n
Once the district receives your written complaint, the coordinator will give you a copy of the complaint procedure and make sure a prompt and thorough investigation takes place. The superintendent or designee will respond to you in writing within 30 calendar days\u2014unless you agree on a different time period. If your complaint involves exceptional circumstances that demand a lengthier investigation, the district will notify you in writing to explain why staff need a time extension and the new date for their written response.<\/p>\n
Step 3: School District Responds to Your Complaint<\/h4>\n
In its written response, the district will include a summary of the results of the investigation, a determination of whether or not the district failed to comply with civil rights laws, notification that you can appeal this determination, and any measures necessary to bring the district into compliance with civil rights laws. Corrective measures will be put into effect within 30 calendar days after this written response\u2014unless you agree to a different time period.<\/p>\n
Appeal to the School District<\/h3>\n
If you disagree with the school district\u2019s decision, you may appeal to the superintendent. You must file a notice of appeal in writing to the secretary of the school board within 10 calendar days after you received the school district\u2019s response to your complaint. The superintendent (or designee) will schedule a hearing within 20 calendar days after they received your appeal, unless you agree on a different timeline. The superintendent will send you a written decision within 30 calendar days after the district received your notice of appeal. The superintendent\u2019s decision will include information about how to file a complaint with the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Discrimination Bellingham Public Schools does not discriminate in any programs or activities on the basis of sex, race, creed, religion, color, national origin, age, veteran or military status, sexual orientation, gender expression, gender identity, disability, or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":276,"featured_media":287313,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","_mi_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bellinghamschools.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/267803"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bellinghamschools.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bellinghamschools.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bellinghamschools.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/276"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bellinghamschools.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=267803"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/bellinghamschools.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/267803\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bellinghamschools.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/287313"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bellinghamschools.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=267803"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}