Notice of Non-Discrimination
The Washoe County School District prohibits bullying, cyber-bullying, harassment, sexual harassment, and/or discrimination based on an individual's actual or perceived race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, veterans or military status, marital status, political affiliation, or the presence of any sensory, physical or mental disability in any of its educational programs/activities, employment or employment opportunities, or in any program or activity conducted or funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The District prohibits discrimination against any youth group listed in Title 36, as a patriotic society, (i.e. Boy Scouts of America) from access to public school facilities use. The District is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
Non-Discrimination Information
As required by Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and other laws and policies, Washoe County School District does not discriminate based on a person’s race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, veterans or military status, marital status, political affiliation, or disability, in any of its educational programs, services, employment or employment opportunities, or in any program or activity conducted or funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The District is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
Equal Access Act
Further, in accordance with the Boy Scouts of America Equal Access Act, the District does not deny equal access or fair opportunity to meet to, or discriminate against any youth group listed in Title 36 of the United States Code as a patriotic society.
Career and Technical Education Programs
As required by the 1979 Guidelines for Eliminating Discrimination in Vocational Education Programs (34 CFR Part 100, App. B, IV-O), the District offers several Career and Technical Education Programs. Admission to these programs is open to all students enrolled in the Washoe County School District.
Como lo requieren las Pautas de 1979 para Eliminar la Discriminación en los Programas de Educación Vocacional (34 CFR Parte 100, Apéndice B, IV-O), el Distrito ofrece varios Programas de Educación Técnica y de Carreras. La admisión a estos programas está abierta a todos los estudiantes inscritos en el Distrito Escolar del Condado de Washoe.
Retaliation
In addition, the District prohibits retaliation against a person because he or she made a complaint of discrimination, or for the purpose of interfering with a right protected under civil rights laws and District policies.
The District does not tolerate discrimination or retaliation of any kind that violates Title VI, Title IX, Section 504, Title II, the Age Discrimination Act, and other applicable laws and policies. Discrimination may include bullying, cyber-bullying, harassment, sexual harassment, sexual misconduct, not providing accessible facilities, and failing to provide an accessible website. Discriminatory conduct may deny or limit a person’s ability to benefit from or participate in the District’s educational programs and services, including those delivered through electronic and information technology, and employment.
Web Accessibility and Meaningful Access
The District is committed to making its electronic and information technologies, including its website, accessible to individuals with disabilities. The District will generally, upon request, provide reasonable modifications to its policies and procedures, provide appropriate aids and services necessary for effective communication (e.g., qualified sign language interpreters, making webpages accessible, etc.), and provide accessible buildings and facilities for qualified individuals with disabilities so that they are afforded an equal opportunity to participate in the District’s programs and services. If you are experiencing an accessibility problem, we are here to help:
Email Michael Morris with a detailed description of the problems you have encountered. For accessibility problems related to the District's information technology or website, please include the web address or URL.
-OR-
Submit written correspondence with a detailed description of the problems you have encountered to:
Judy Prutzman, Title IX Coordinator, PO Box 30425, Reno, NV 89425-3425.
For accessibility problems related to the District's information technology or website, please include the web address or URL.
The Washoe County School District website may contain links that lead to resources, video, etc., which is located on servers that are not maintained or controlled by the District. The District is not responsible for the contents of any such referenced websites or for the availability of access to such websites.
Effective Communication - Individuals with Disabilities
The Washoe County School District is committed to providing access to our electronic and information technology, including our webpages, for individuals with disabilities, in accordance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. The District will generally, upon request, provide appropriate aids and services leading to effective communication for qualified persons with disabilities so they can participate equally in the District’s programs, services, and activities, including qualified sign language interpreters, and other ways of making information and communications accessible to people who have speech, hearing, or vision impairments.
Questions and concerns related to communication through District-maintained websites can be directed to Michael Morris. Formal complaints can be filed using the Public Complaint process through the District or can be filed under Section 504 and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) on the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights website.
Harassment Prohibited
The Washoe County School District prohibits harassment of any kind, including harassment based on race, color, national origin, or sex. Prohibited harassment occurs when harassing conduct is bad enough or happens often enough to make an individual feel uncomfortable, scared, or confused, and when it interferes with the student’s school work or ability to participate in school activities or attend class or a staff member's ability to do his/her job.
Harassing conduct can take many forms, including physical, verbal, graphic, or written conduct. Harassment does not have to include intent to harm, be directed at a specific victim, or involve repeated incidents. Harassers can be students, school staff, or even someone visiting the school, such as a volunteer, or a student or an employee from another school.
Below is a brief explanation of the various types of harassment that are prohibited by the District:
Racial and national origin harassment is unwelcome conduct based on an individual’s actual or perceived race or national origin. Racial and national origin harassment can include slurs, taunts, stereotyping, or name-calling, as well as racially-motivated physical threats, attacks, or other intimidating conduct.
Sexual harassment is unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature. Sexual harassment can happen to girls or boys, men or women. Sexual harassment can be:
- Verbal (e.g., comments about your body, spreading sexual rumors, making sexual remarks or accusations, telling dirty jokes or stories);
- Physical (e.g., grabbing, rubbing, flashing, mooning, touching, or pinching in a sexual way; playing games involving pinching or grabbing private body parts; sexual assault);
- Visual (e.g., displaying photos of sexual images or sex-related objects, making obscene gestures); and
- Cyberbullying (e.g., using cell phones or the internet to target individuals by calling them sexually charged names, spreading sexual rumors, disseminating compromising photographs or videos of a person).
Sexual violence is a form of sexual harassment. Sexual violence refers to physical sexual acts perpetrated against a person’s will or where a person is incapable of giving consent (e.g., due to the student’s age or use of drugs or alcohol, or because of an intellectual or other disability prevents the student from having the capacity to give consent). A number of different acts fall into the category of sexual violence, including rape, sexual assault, sexual battery, sexual abuse, and sexual coercion.
Gender-based harassment is unwelcome conduct based on a person’s actual or perceived sex. It includes slurs, taunts, stereotyping, or name-calling, as well as physical threats, attacks, or other intimidating conduct based on sex or sex-stereotyping, but which are not necessarily sexual in nature. Gender-based harassment includes harassment of an individual either for exhibiting what is perceived as a stereotypical characteristic for their sex, or for failing to conform to stereotypical notions of masculinity and femininity.
Quid pro quo harassment occurs when a school employee causes a student to believe that he/she must submit to unwelcome sexual conduct in order to participate in a school program or activity. It can also occur when an employee causes a student to believe that the employee will make an educational decision based on whether or not the student submits to unwelcome sexual conduct. For example, when a teacher threatens to fail a student unless the student agrees to date the teacher, it is quid pro quo harassment. Quid pro quo harassment can also occur when a supervisor or other staff member in authority causes another staff member to believe that he/she must submit to unwelcome sexual conduct as a condition of employment or employment opportunities.
Contact Us
Washoe County School District
Judy Prutzman, Esq.
Title IX Coordinator
Mailing Address: PO Box 30425, Reno NV 89520-3425
Physical Address: 425 East 9th St, Reno NV 89512
TitleIX@washoeschools.net
Phone: 775-348-0300
Fax: 775-333-6010
WCSD Bullying / Complaint Reporting
To report an incident of bullying, harassment, sexual harassment, discrimination, or retaliation, go to the District's online reporting system at: SafeVoice - WCSD Complaint Reporting