Los Angeles Academy of Arts and Enterprise (LAAAE) is committed to providing a working and learning environment free from discrimination, harassment, intimidation and bullying. LAAAE prohibits discrimination, harassment, intimidation and bullying based on the actual or perceived characteristics set forth in Penal Code § 422.5, Education Code § 220 and actual or perceived sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, race or ethnicity, ethnic group identification, ancestry, nationality, national origin, religion, color, mental or physical disability, medical condition (including pregnancy and related medical conditions), age, military status, or on the basis of a person’s association with a person or group with one or more of these actual or perceived characteristics, in any program or activity it conducts or to which it provides significant assistance.
Discrimination
Discrimination is different treatment on the basis of a protected category in the context of an educational program or activity without a legitimate nondiscriminatory reason and interferes with or limits the individual’s ability to participate in or benefit from the services, activities, or privileges provided by LAAAE.
Harassment
Harassment occurs when: (1) the target is subjected to unwelcome conduct related to a protected category; (2) the harassment is both subjectively offensive to the target and would be offensive to a reasonable person of the same age and characteristics under the same circumstances; and (3) the harassment is sufficiently severe, pervasive, or persistent so as to interfere with or limit an individual’s ability to participate in or benefit from the services, activities, or opportunities offered by LAAAE.
Bullying
LAAAE takes a strong position against bullying, hazing or any behavior that infringes on the safety and well-being of students and employees, or interferes with learning or teaching. LAAAE prohibits retaliatory behavior against anyone who files a complaint or who participates in the complaint investigation process.
All students and staff of public primary, elementary, middle, and senior high schools have the inalienable right to attend campuses which are safe, secure and peaceful [Article 1, Section 28(c) of the California State Constitution]. The bullying and hazing policy, written in accordance with Federal guidelines and California Education Code, requires that LAAAE students and all personnel promote respect and acceptance. This policy shall encompass behaviors and actions that occur among students, LAAAE employees, and associated adults. The policy is applicable in LAAAE, at school and LAAAE-related programs, activities and events, traveling to and from school, and all other areas of the LAAAE’s jurisdiction [Ed Code 489009(s)].
Bullying is unwanted and aggressive behavior among students that involves a real or perceived power imbalance. The behavior is repeated, or has the potential to be repeated, over time. Examples of bullying behavior include making threats, spreading rumors, attacking someone physically or verbally, and excluding someone from a group on purpose. The determination of whether an action or collection of actions rises to the level of bullying is generally differentiated from an isolated occurrence when the behavior is repetitive and there exists a power imbalance that may include physical strength, access to embarrassing information, or popularity used to control or harm another student.
Bullying is any deliberate and unwanted severe or pervasive physical, verbal, or electronic act that has the intention of, or can be reasonably predicted to have the effect of, one or more of the following:
- Reasonable fear of harm to person or property.
- Substantially detrimental effect on physical or mental health.
- Substantial interference with academic performance.
- Substantial interference with the ability to participate in or benefit from school services, activities, or privileges.
Cyberbullying is conducted via electronic communication technology (e.g., texts, e-mails, blogs, postings) and meets the impact of bullying. A person who engages in cyberbullying at school or school-related activities and events may be subject to disciplinary action. Cyberbullying that occurs off-campus but substantially disrupts the instructional environment of the school may fall under District jurisdiction.
Hazing is any humiliating or potentially harmful initiation, pre-initiation, or rite of passage associated with membership in a student organization whether or not it is officially recognized by the educational institution. Parents and students are encouraged work with LAAAE faculty or administrative staff.
Sexual Harassment
LAAAE is committed to providing a working and learning environment free from sexual harassment. The District prohibits sexual harassment of or by employees, students, or persons doing business with or for the District on the basis of actual or perceived sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or gender expression. Failure to follow this policy is a violation of state and federal law.
Sexual harassment is defined by California Education Code Section 212.5 as any unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal, visual, or physical conduct of a sexual nature made by someone from or in the work or educational setting, under any of the following conditions:
- Submission to the conduct is explicitly or implicitly made a term or a condition of an individual‘s employment, academic status, or progress.
- Submission to, or rejection of, the conduct by the individual is used as the basis of employment or academic decisions affecting the individual.
- The conduct has the purpose or effect of having a negative impact upon the individual‘s work or academic performance, or of creating
- an intimidating, hostile, or offensive work or educational environment.
- Submission to, or rejection of, the conduct by the individual is used as the basis for any decision affecting the individual regarding benefits and services, honors, programs, or activities available at or through the educational institution.
Upon witnessing an act of discrimination, harassment, intimidation and/or bullying based on actual or perceived characteristics of a protected category (as enumerated above), school personnel are required to take immediate steps to intervene when it is safe to do so. Once LAAAE has notice of discriminatory, harassing, intimidating or bullying conduct, whether carried out by employees, students, or third parties, it should take immediate and appropriate steps to investigate or otherwise determine what occurred and take prompt and effective steps reasonably calculated to end the conduct, eliminate a hostile environment, if one has been created and prevent the conduct from occurring again. These steps should be taken whether or not an individual makes a complaint or asks the school or office to take action.
This policy applies to all acts related to school activity or school attendance. For inquiries or complaints related to discrimination, harassment, intimidation and bullying of students based on the actual or perceived characteristics listed above or for complaints related to employee-to-employee, student-to-employee, or work/employment related discrimination, harassment, or intimidation, contact LAAAE’s administrator designated to coordinate compliance efforts: Amy Frame, Principal, at (213) 487-0600.
Title IX
Federal law, Title IX, State law and District policy prohibit anyone from discriminating against any student on the basis of actual or perceived sex, sexual orientation, and gender (including gender identity, gender expression, marital status, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical condition). Male and female students have the right to equal learning opportunities in their schools and must be treated the same in all activities and programs, including:
- Athletics
- The classes they can take
- The way they are treated in the classroom
- The kind of counseling they are given
- The extracurricular activities in which they can participate
- The honors, special awards, scholarships and graduation activities in which they can participate
Students who feel that their rights are being violated have the right to take action and should not be afraid of trying to correct a situation by speaking to a school administrator, Title IX/Bullying Complaint Manager, psychologist, counselor, or trusted adult at school, or filing a complaint (see Uniform Complaint Procedures). Students are encouraged whenever possible to try to resolve their complaints directly at the school site. Any student who believes he or she is being discriminated against in violation of Title IX has the right to file a complaint. For further information or assistance, contact the LAAAE Principal, David Calvo at 213-487-0600.
The above notices are excerpted from the Student and Family Handbook found at LAAAE’s Public Info webpage.
Additional Title IX information is available at LAAAE’s Title IX webpage.
CDE Resources
Antidescrimination Legal Advisory