By SDCN Editor
San Diego, CA–Two years ago San Diego Unified School District began to overhaul its approach to receiving and responding to reports of sexual harassment (Title IX), civil rights violations, and safety.
Officials from the District’s new Office of Investigations, Compliance and Accountability (ICA) delivered an update at the Board of Education meeting on Tuesday.
ICA serves as a centralized resource for students, parents, and employees to report concerns and complaints, ensuring that every report is evaluated, documented, and addressed in accordance with District policies and procedures.
“We are making it easier for our staff and students to report incidents with a new online reporting tool that previously did not exist,” said Farshad Talebi, Esq., Executive Director, Office of Investigations, Compliance and Accountability, on Tuesday night. “Our Title IX Officer now has the support of an expert team that promptly evaluates, investigates, and sees each case through until there is an outcome and resolution.”
“The changes we have made are helping us to build trust amongst parents, students, and staff,” Talebi continued. “We take privacy and confidentiality very seriously. People now feel safe, and better supported in speaking up when they feel misconduct has occurred.”
Talebi told the Board of Education that his office has received more than 3,500 reports since 2023 through ICA’s online Ethicspoint Reporting System. All reports are assigned an investigative specialist, who documents, tracks, and ensures the report is addressed appropriately before being closed in their database.
In addition to the Ethicspoint Reporting system, ICA has established other systems and procedures to specifically address Title IX, Bullying and Harassment, and Uniform Complaint reporting. Similarly, the Title IX Officer and other staff evaluate and record all of these reports, and ensure they are addressed in strict accordance with District policies. ICA’s role provide oversight to protect students and staff, while upholding the District’s commitment accountability.
“Our school district has a responsibility to ensure every student and staff member feels safe, respected and protected,” said Fabi Bagula, Ph.D., San Diego Unified School District Superintendent (Interim).“Sexual harassment and misconduct is absolutely unacceptable and will not be tolerated. We are working to maintain a culture of accountability, proactive prevention, and deliver unwavering support for any who are impacted. We have made great progress, and I believe we’re headed in the right direction.”
Education & Information is Ongoing
To maintain this culture of accountability and support in San Diego Unified, ICA is continuously advancing opportunities to educate and inform staff, students, and families. Some of these activities include:
- Working group with District leaders, student advisory boards, and groups
- Working with the District’s family engagement departments and PTAs
- Professional development and training for administrators
- Internal and external communication through district communication channels, including videos, pamphlets, websites, newsletters, publications, and partnering with community organizations
Superintendent Bagula and Talebi emphasize if there is an incident, it should be reported immediately. Ways people can report include:
- The ICA online reporting system (Link Here)
- Email: ICA@sandi.net
- For Sexual Harassment (Title IX) information (Link Here)
- Visit: SanDiegoUnified.org to learn more (Link Here)
