WITH
WITH DISCRIMINATION OR HARASSMENT AT SCHOOL - MAY
STRUGGLE - TO GET SOMETHING DONE
ABOUT IT.
AS THE KVUE DEFENDERS FOUND
OUT-- SCHOOL
DISTRICTS AREN'T MAKING IT EASY
FOR PARENTS TO FILE
COMPLAINTS.
COMPLAINTS. HERE'S INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER
ERICA PROFFER.
ERICA PROFFER. "THE CHILDREN AND STAFF HAVE
SUFFERED DAILY BY ANTI- IMMIGRATION BIAS"
WHETHER IT'S AUSTIN..
"IN OUR DISTRICT, ALL ARE
WELCOME"
OR ROUND ROCK..
"I WOULD GO HOME CRYING"
"THE PRINCIPAL REFERENCED A
STUDENT BY CALLING HIM AN
N WORD"
.OR ANY OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICT.
"AWFUL. JUST AWFUL"
INFORMATION ON HOW TO FILE A
DISCRIMINATION
OR HARASSMENT COMPLAINT. IS HARD
TO FIND.
PAMELA PARKS AND CHARLES SNEED
SAID THEIR
DAUGHTER FACED REPEATED
"RACIALLY
CHARGED" HARASSMENT AT BOWIE
HIGH SCHOOL.
"EVERY DAY OF MY LIFE I DEVOTE
TO TRY TO MAKE SURE
SHE IS OKAY, FOR AS LONG AS I
CAN"
PAMELA SAYS THE SCHOOL DISTRICT
DIDN'T DO ENOUGH TO
STOP IT. SO, THEY SUED.
CLAIMING. THE DISTRICT
DISCRIMINATED AGAINST HER
DAUGHTER "BECAUSE SHE WAS AN
AFRICAN AMERICAN
FEMALE"
THE FAMILY ALLEGED CIVIL RIGHTS
VIOLATIONS. AS
WELL AS UNCONSTITUTIO NAL
POLICIES, PROCEDURES, PRACTICES
AND CUSTOMS..
RECORDS SHOW THE TEEN WAS CALLED
"SASS-QUACH"..
RIDICULED FOR HER HAIR. AND HAD
HER FARM EQUIPMENT
VANDALIZED . ANIMALS INJURED.
"WE JUST DID NOT UNDERSTAND WHY
THAT
THAT WOULD TAKE PLACE" THE COMPLAINT LISTS SEVERAL DISTRICT EMPLOYEES
WHO WERE NOTIFIED.
IN A MOTION TO DISMISS THE
LAWSUIT A-I-S-D CLAIMS THE
FAMILY DIDN'T COMPLAIN TO THE
RIGHT PEOPLE.
STATING THE COMPLAINT DOES NOT
GIVE "SPECIFIC
ACTIONS BY THE DISTRICT'S BOARD.
OR EVEN INDIVIDUAL
BOARD MEMBERS."
"WHICH IS WHY THAT COMPLAINT
FORM IS IMPORTANT. A
GRIEVANCE MAY NOT REACH THE
BOARD. UNLESS IT'S
OFFICIALLY FILED"
"I SAID, 'WHAT'S THE NEXT STEP?
WHAT DO I NEED TO DO LEGALLY.
WHAT'S THE PROCESS FOR AISD? I
WAS TRYING TO
GOOGLE IT ON THEIR WEBSITE.."
THIS IS THE WEBSITE FOR A-
I-S-D.
NO LINK ON THE MAIN PAGE TO A
FORM.
THESE TABS WON'T HELP.
IF YOU SEARCH COMPLAINTS..
SCROLL DOWN. PAST THE "POLICIES
AND
COMPLAINTS" . THAT'S ONLY FOR
COMPLAINTS AGAINST POLICE.
CLICK HERE ON PAGE 2. SCROLL
DOWN.NOTHIN
G.CLICK HERE. PAGE THREE. SCROLL
DOWN AGAIN.AHHH.H ERE. "POLICIES
AND RESEARCH"
SEE THAT "FFH EXHIBIT?".
IF YOU DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THAT
MEANS. IT'S WHAT LEADS
TO THE DISCRIMINATION COMPLAINT
FORM...
WE ASKED DR. JACOB REACH AT
A-I-S-D ABOUT THE ACCESS.
HE'S THE SUPERINTENDAN T'S CHIEF
OF STAFF.
ERICA: "DO YOU THINK IT WOULD
HINDER ANYONE FROM FILING AN
OFFICIAL COMPLAINT FORM" DR.
REACH: "I CAN'T SAY FOR SURE.
BUT
BUT WHAT
BUT WHAT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE IS THAT OUR ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF AND THAT
OUR OFFICE STAFF KNOWS WHERE TO
FIND THOSE FORMS"
ERICA: "WOULD IT BE A GOOD IDEA
TO PUT IN ONLINE IN AN
EASY 'CODE COMPLAINTS HERE'
LINK?"
DR. REACH: "OUR NON-
DISCRIMINATION POLICY IS ON
THE FRONT PAGE OF OUR WEBSITE,
AND EXPLAINS WHO
TO REACH OUT TO"
THE POLICY IS .. HERE. SEE THAT
AT THE BOTTOM? IT'S LEADS TO
THE ANTI- HARASSMENT STATEMENT.
POINTS TO A PERSON. BUT DOESN'T
MENTION
ANYTHING ABOUT A COMPLAINT FORM
OR HOW
THE PROCESS WORKS.
"WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO OCCUR ..
WANT TO MAKE SURE
STAFF CAN DIRECT PARENTS TO THE
APPROPRIATE
POLICY AND FORM FOR THEIR
INDIVIDUAL SITUATION."
INDIVIDUAL SITUATION."
IF
IF YOU
IF YOU LOOK AT THAT FORM.. IT'S A STUDENT HARASSMENT COMPLAINT FORM.
ALL FILLED OUT BY THE CHILD OR
TEEN.
SIGNED BY THE STUDENT AND
"SCHOOL OFFICIALS"
BUT IT'S NOT THE ONLY
DISCRIMINATION FORM.
BACK TO THAT POLICE LINK...
STUDENTS FILE POLICE
DISCRIMINATION COMPLAINTS
USING THIS.. A SWORN AFFIDAVIT
IT REQUIRES A NOTARY PUBLIC.
ALSO. NO PARENT SIGNATURE.--
"AND IF YOU'RE THINKING THIS IS
AN A-I-S-D PROBLEM. AT
LEAST AUSTIN HAS A
DISCRIMINATION-SPECIFIC FORM
FOR TEACHERS AND STAFF. WE
CHECKED WITH ALL MAJOR
DISTRICTS IN OUR AREA. NO ONE
ELSE DOES. ONLY
GENERAL COMPLAINTS."
AND WAYS TO ACCESS THOSE
COMPLAINT FORMS VARY,
WIDELY.
LEANDER ISD. HAS AN ANONYMOUS
ALERT PORTAL.
AND SAYS A STUDENT CAN LEAVE
THEIR NAME. THE
GENERAL COMPLAINT FORM IS UNDER
STUDENTS.."BU
LLYING PREVENTION". ANTI
BULLYING. AND REPORT
BULLYING
PFLUGERVILLE ISD. A GENERAL FORM
IS UNDER DEPARTMENTS.
"HUMAN RESOURCES".. THEN "FORMS
AND
DOCUMENTS" .. "FILE ON THE
HOTLINE" OR THROUGH
"PARENT AND STAFF CONCERNS"
GEORGETOWN ISD DOESN'T HAVE A
FORM POSTED AT ALL.
IT'S "PROVIDED BY REQUEST."
"I WANT ACCOUNTABILITY . I WANT
SOMEONE TO
SAY, 'WE DROPPED THE BALL ON
THIS.'"
EACH SCHOOL DISTRICT CAN MAKE IT
EASIER TO FIND AND
FILE COMPLAINTS. NO STATE OR
FEDERAL
APPROVAL NEEDED.
"WE ARE SUPPOSED TO TEACH OUR
CHILDREN
ABOUT COPING TO GET THROUGH"
"WE'RE ASKING THE
ADMINISTRATORS, JUST MAKE THE PROGRAM BETTER" A JUDGE GRANTED AISD A "PARTIAL
DISMISSAL" OF
THAT LAWSUIT.THE
UNCONSTITUTIONAL POLICIES
CLAIM. BUT REFERRED THE CIVIL
RIGHTS PORTION OF THE
CASE TO ANOTHER COURT FOR
REVIEW.
IF YOU NEED TO FILE A
DISCRIMINATION COMPLAINT, ASK
FOR THE DESIGNATED COORDINATOR.
YOU CAN FIND LINKS TO SCHOOL
DISTRICT
POLICIES AND FORMS FOR SCHOOLS
IN OUR AREA WITH THIS
STORY AT KVUE DOT COM.
FOR THE KVUE DEFENDERS. ERICA
PROFFER.
KVUE NEWS.
KVUE NEWS. IF THERE'S SOMETHING YOU'D LIKE
THE DEFENDERS TO INVESTIGATE -- LET US KNOW.
CALL THE NUMBER YOU SEE ON YOUR
SCREEN -- OR
EMAIL US AT DEFENDERS-