“Seth’s Law” requires anti-bullying policies and clear complaint process
With the recent announcement of changes to the Uniform Compliant Procedures based on newly implemented state laws, the California Department of Education is recommending that districts pay particular attention to the law that expands the Safe Place to Learn Act. AB 9 or “Seth’s Law” became effective on July 1, 2012 to help safeguard all public school students.
With the recent announcement of changes to the Uniform Compliant Procedures based on newly implemented state laws, the California Department of Education is recommending that districts pay particular attention to the law that expands the Safe Place to Learn Act. AB 9 or “Seth’s Law” became effective on July 1, 2012 to help safeguard all public school students.
AB 9 would require schools to adopt anti-harassment and -bullying policies, and to provide a clear process for complaints from students and parents.
The legislation, named for a high school student who took his life after being subjected to ongoing harassment, expands the scope of complaints that can be filed under existing state law that requires schools to protect students who are targets of unlawful discrimination.
The expanded list of complaints includes allegations of unlawful intimidation and bullying due “to actual or perceived characteristics such as age, ancestry, color, ethnic group identification, gender expression, gender identity, gender, disability, nationality, race or ethnicity, religion, sex, sexual orientation or a person's association with a person or group with one or more of these actual or perceived characteristics, in any program or activity that receives or benefits from state financial assistance,” the CDE said.
Complaints filed under this new law will continue to be processed through a district’s Uniform Complaint Procedures