1330 South Knott Avenue*

Not all Orange County schools use the same technology, procedures and codes to record bullying or harassment incidents. Response to Finding 1: Savanna School District partially agrees with this finding. The District agrees that not all Orange County schools use the same technology and procedures to record bullying or harassment incidents. We understand that different districts use different databases and internal procedures to track bullying complaints. With regard to the codes used to record bullying or harassment incidents, prior to July 1, 2012, Education Code section 48900(r) defined bullying by reference to sexual harassment (Education Code section 48900.2), hate violence (Education Code section 48900.3), and harassment, threats and intimidation (Education Code section 48900.4). While the law did not contain a stand-alone definition of bullying, such incidents were reported as part of our suspensions and student discipline procedures. However, as of July 1, 2012, Education Code section 48900(r) provides a stand-alone definition of the term "bullying." (AB 1156.) This statute binds school districts throughout California and Savanna School District will implement this Education Code section in its entirety beginning in the 2012-13 school year.

New legislation takes effect July 1, 2012, and broadens the definition of "Bullying." Response to Finding 2: Savanna School District agrees that AB 1156 provides a broader definition of "bullying" than was contained in prior law.

Education Code section 234.1 requiring posting of anti-bullying/anti- harassment policies in prescribed areas was not evident in all schools visited. The Orange County Superintendent of Schools has been directed to respond to Recommendations 4 and 5. Response to Finding 3: While we cannot comment on what policies are posted in all schools throughout Orange County, we can respond to the Savanna School District's policies and procedures. Finding 3 combines the requirement to post anti-discrimination/anti-harassment policies in prescribed areas with the requirement to post anti-bullying policies. The requirement for school districts to post their anti-bullying policy in all schools and offices, including staff lounges and pupil government meeting rooms, is new as of July 1, 2012.2 Thus, the District disagrees with Finding 3 to the extent it reflects on the District's practice in regard to posting its anti-bullying policy in prescribed areas prior to July 1, 2012. In regard to the finding that Savanna School District failed to post its anti-harassment policies in prescribed areas, the District disagrees with this finding. The Savanna School District takes bullying and harassment very seriously; so much so that we've recently revised our policies in these areas based upon State law and recommendations by the California School Boards Association. We have not only posted the anti-discrimination and anti-harassment policies in all schools and offices, including staff lounges and student government meeting rooms, our Anti- Bullying/Anti-Harassment Policy has been posted in every classroom throughout the District as well as integrated on our District's web site home page as well as on each school's home page and their respective school handbook page for each District school.

Based on witness testimony, confidentiality was not maintained in a bullying incident as prescribed in California Education Code section 234.1 Response to Finding 4: The Grand Jury report does not contain sufficient information to enable the District to respond to this finding nor does it identify which school district was involved in the alleged breach of confidentiality; therefore, the District disagrees wholly with this finding. We can only comment that we take bullying and harassment very seriously and take every precaution to maintain confidentiality in such cases.