Supporting Our Students
Students have the right to be safe and free to learn at school.
LVJUSD follows the laws to provide a free, safe, and supportive public education for all.
Freedom from Harassment
Public, charter, and non-religious private schools that receive state or federal funding are legally required to protect against identity-based harassment of students.
Sections 200-220 of the California Education Code says that schools must protect students from different kinds of bias and discrimination, including harassment based on actual or perceived sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. Under Education Code Sections 234-234.5, administrators, faculty, and staff are required to intervene when they witness discrimination, harassment, or bullying if they can do so safely. For example, students cannot be harassed for being LGBTQ+, for people thinking they are LGBTQ+, or for having friends or family members who are LGBTQ+. It also means that transgender and gender non-conforming students can't be harassed for gender-related appearance and behavior, such as a boy wearing a skirt or makeup.
Freedom to Learn
“LVJUSD is committed to the success of all students, and to the provision of a safe, welcoming, and inclusive learning environment to ensure their success,” as stated on the “All Kids are Our Kids” page on the district website. Students in California public schools benefit from curriculum requirements that cultivate the skills and knowledge students will need to succeed in the 21st century. Parents are free to choose homeschooling or religious private schools if they do not support this curriculum. According to current California laws, parents may opt out of lessons related to sex education. They may not opt out of lessons in other classes that simply mention the existence or contributions of LGBTQ+ individuals.
Community Inclusion
All Livermore students have a right to feel seen and included in a community of their choice. Local organizations provide the support needed for youth and their families.
Alameda County Behavioral Health Services - Provides services related to behavioral health, crisis services, and substance use.
Alan Hu Foundation - promotes mental health, raise awareness and remove the stigma surrounding psychiatric disorders, and support fundamental research for cures. The website contains resources for students and parents, including a free webinar “Mental Health Lecture Series”.
Horizons Family Counseling - Provides free and low cost short-term counseling services for individuals and families with youth 6-19 residing in Livermore.
La Familia has a 40-year history of providing high-quality mental health and community support services in the San Francisco Bay Area. They are committed to building a vibrant and multicultural agency to provide services that meet the needs of the individuals and families in our community.
National Alliance on Mental Health (NAMI)
“NAMI Tri-Valley, in collaboration with other community agencies and organizations, is dedicated to improving the quality of life for those whose lives are affected by mental illness, by providing support, resource information, education programs, and advocacy.”
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) Each and every NAACP member makes a difference in the complex, ongoing work of advancing racial equity.
PFLAG (formerly “Parents, Families, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays”) is creating a caring, just, and affirming world for LGBTQ+ people and those who love them.
Planned Parenthood is a safe, private resource for students to contact when they have questions that need an answer they can trust. Besides frankly answering questions about reproduction and sexuality, Planned Parenthood offers information about healthy relationships, general wellness, gender identity, and much more. Their website offers an anonymous chat. For educators, sex education can be a challenging subject for students and teachers alike. Planned Parenthood offers tools and resources to help students with the information they need to make smart, healthy decisions.
Z-Cares’ mission is to encourage meaningful conversations about youth mental health while reducing the stigma throughout communities. It is based in Pleasanton. Z-Cares will stand up to anxiety, depression and other mental health disorders in support of the communities we serve through evidence-based programs and content offerings. Our vision is for all community members to recognize that it is 'OK to Not be OK.'
The Right to Privacy
All Livermore students enjoy the protections of federal student privacy laws. The US Department of Education keeps a close eye on this, administering and enforcing data privacy laws such as: