200 Nevada Street, Redlands, CA. 92373
(909) 335-8668
Under state and federal law, and the policy of The Grove School, each student and employee has a right to learn and work in an environment that is free from unlawful discrimination.
No student or employee of The Grove School will be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subject to discrimination during any school activity on the basis of actual or perceived sex, sexual orientation, gender, or gender identity or expression.
Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972 prohibits discrimination, harassment, exclusion, denial, limitation or separation based on sex or gender. Title IX applies to both male and female students. California Ed Code Sections 200-282 and Grove School policy prohibit discrimination on the basis of sex, sexual orientation or gender.
Students, parents/guardians, or employees should report their verbal or written Title IX complaint (see form below) to the Head of School or the Title IX Coordinator within six months of the date of the incident. The school will conduct an investigation of the complaint within 60 days of the date the complaint was made. Complaints will be investigated and a decision made within sixty calendar days of the School’s receipt, unless the complainant agrees to an extension. The Grove School’s Title IX Coordinator or designee may interview alleged victims, alleged offenders, and relevant witnesses. The investigation may include reviewing available records, statements, or notes related to the complaint, including evidence or information received from the parties during the investigation. The investigation may also include visits to reasonably accessible locations where discrimination is alleged to have occurred. As appropriate, the Title IX Coordinator periodically will inform the parties of the status of the investigation. The complainant will be notified when a decision is made.
A complaint must ordinarily be filed within six months of the last act of discrimination. If your complaint involves matters that occurred longer ago than this and you are requesting a waiver, you will be asked to show good cause why you did not file your complaint within the six month period.
To make a complaint, please print and complete the Confidential Title IX Discrimination Complaint Form. The linked form, also shown below may be downloaded as a fillable pdf. Once completed, it should be turned into the Title IX Coordinator. Should you need assistance or have any questions regarding the form, please contact the Title IX Coordinator.
If the complainant is dissatisfied with the findings, an appeal may be made to the CA Dept of Education -Office of Equal Opportunity, oeoinfo@cde.ca.gov or by phone at 916-445-9174 .
California Department of Education, Office for Equal Opportunity: http://www.cde.ca.gov/re/di/eo/dutytoprotect.asp
United States Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights: https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/frontpage/pro-students/sex-pr.html
San Francisco Office for Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Education
To file a UCP Complaint or Title IX Complaint directly with The Grove School, please follow procedures set forth in those policies. Any questions regarding Title IX and sexual harassment should be forwarded to the Title IX Coordinator listed at the top of this page.
Sexual harassment includes all unwanted, uninvited and non-reciprocal sexual attention as well and any behavior that may lead to the creation of an intimidating, hostile or offensive school or work environment. Sexually suggestive looks or gestures, sexual jokes, pictures or teasing, pressure for dates, demeaning comments, deliberate touching, or attempts to kiss or fondle, threats, demands or suggestions that favors may be granted in exchange for sex or tolerance of sexual advances must be reported immediately.
This includes any unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature made by someone from or in the work or educational setting, under any of the following conditions:
The Grove School prohibits sexual harassment of, or by, employees, students, or persons doing business with or for The Grove School. This includes harassment 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.
Upon witnessing an act of discrimination, harassment, intimidation and/or bullying school personnel are required to take immediate steps to intervene when it is safe to do so.
Reporting such conduct to an administrator or Title IX Coordinator can be an appropriate intervention, although this should not supersede Mandated Reporter requirements if those requirements also apply.
Once The Grove School has notice of discriminatory, harassing, intimidating or bullying conduct, whether carried out by employees, students, or third parties, appropriate steps will be taken to investigate and determine what occurred. School personnel are to take prompt and effective steps reasonably calculated to end the conduct, eliminate a hostile environment, and prevent the conduct from occurring again. These steps should be taken whether or not an individual makes a complaint or asks the school to take action.
This policy applies to all acts related to school activity or school attendance under the jurisdiction of The Grove School. Any student or employee of The Grove School who believes that she or he has been a victim of sexual harassment should bring the problem to the attention of the school administration or the school’s Title IX Coordinator so that appropriate action may be taken to resolve the problem.
The Grove School prohibits retaliatory behavior against anyone who files a sexual harassment complaint or any participant in the complaint investigation process. Complaints must be promptly investigated in a way that respects the privacy of the parties concerned.
Respect for difference and promotion of diversity are part of The Grove School’s original charter and Montessori theory. In addition, state and federal law prohibits discrimination. The Grove School complies with and supports all state and federal nondiscrimination rules and regulations and does not permit discrimination against students, staff or faculty on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, disability, age, religion, marital status, sexual orientation, social and /or economic background. Statements that demean ethnic, religious, gender or racial groups or that tend to provoke a physical response (including gang symbols or insults to a person’s family) will result in disciplinary action. Failure to promote a positive atmosphere of tolerance and nondiscrimination will be seen as a threat to the personal safety of others and will be subject to the same disciplinary action as for assault or fighting.
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 that interferes with or limits the individual’s ability to participate in or benefit from the services, activities, or privileges provided by The Grove School.
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 The Grove School.
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 a school or office 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 action 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 nondiscrimination policy applies to all acts related to school activity or school attendance within any school or office under the jurisdiction of The Grove School. For inquiries or complaints related to discrimination, harassment, intimidation and bullying of students based on the actual or perceived characteristics listed above, contact Grove ‘s administration or Title IX Coordinator.
California Interscholastic Federation: http://www.cifstate.org/governance/equity/index