Title IX Update

You can visit the District's Title IX web page for the latest news about Seattle Public Schools Title IX compliance efforts.

The latest developments include the hiring of an interim Title IX Compliance Officer, Barbara Nahouraii, her addition to the Title IX Task Force (in place of Michael Tolley), and the adoption, on December 9th, of a new superintendent procedure, 3208SP, on sexual harassment.

On that same day, December 9th, I sent an email to Ms Nahouraii with eleven questions about the current status of the District's Title IX compliance efforts. They were all questions that I presumed she would be able to answer off the top of her head. She replied with a brief email promising a response "shortly". I have yet to receive that response. It's only been about two weeks. I guess it still qualifies as "shortly".

Here were the eleven questions:

1. What is your place in the District organization chart? Are you part of HR, the Superintendent’s office, or internal audit? To whom do you report?
   
2. When will the revised superintendent procedure 3208 be adopted? It was written and distributed publicly months ago. What’s the hold-up? Who is working on it? [As we now know, the procedure was adopted the day I wrote this email.]
   
3. The District committed to revising the procedure following the OSPI Consolidated Program Review. How late is the revision compared to the date that it was promised?
   
4. When will a revised Board Policy 3208 be introduced? What’s the hold up? Who is working on it?
   
5. The District committed to revising the policy following the OSPI Consolidated Program Review. How late is the revision compared to the date that it was promised?
   
6. The current policy - which is in force - requires an annual report. There has never been an annual report. When should we expect it? Who is working on it? Who has been held accountable for the failure to produce one to date?
   
7. Why have we never seen an annual report as required by policy 3208? Does the absence of an annual report reflect a lack of interest in compliance with this policy by the Board and the senior leadership? What would a deep concern for compliance with policy look like? Wouldn't it include at least this report?
   
8. A number of trainings were conducted for school staff on Title IX. How many of those trainings are now obsolete with the changes in Title IX compliance officers? Were the School Compliance Officers advised of the changes in central office Title IX personnel?
   
9. The District committed to adding Title IX non-discrimination language to a variety of documents, web pages, and notices following the OSPI Consolidated Program Review. Has this work been done? What’s the hold-up? Who is working on it? How late are these notices compared to the date they were promised?
   
10. The District has a Title IX web page but it appears to be out-of-date. Is there any interest in bringing it current? Who is working on that?
    
11. What is the status of the OCR investigation? Are there any other investigations either current or pending?

As I mentioned, the answers to each of these questions should be already known to someone who has full time responsibility for the Distrct's Title IX compliance. She shouldn't need any time to research the answers.

Does anyone have any other questions about the current status of Seattle Public Schools' Title IX compliance effort?