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The U.S. Department of Education\u2019s Office for Civil Rights is investigating Tulare City School District over handling of employee sexual misconduct allegations affecting TK-8 students.<\/p>\n
Tulare City School District<\/p>\n
The Tulare City School District is being investigated by the U.S. Department of Education\u2019s Office for Civil Rights for failing to appropriately address allegations of sexual misconduct by district employees.<\/p>\n
The school district of 10,000 TK-8 students<\/a> in the city of Tulare, in Tulare County, is one of 20 school districts in 15 states being investigated by the federal government. In California, the Wilsona School District in Los Angeles County is also on the list.<\/p>\n The U.S. Department of Education said the Office for Civil Rights opened the investigations into school districts \u201cwhose 2023-24 Civil Rights Data Collection submissions contained responses that suggest that districts might not be addressing\u201d sexual misconduct by staff appropriately.<\/p>\n It is unclear the number and the nature of the incidents the OCR is investigating. While the OCR is focusing its investigation on the 2023-24 school year, it is unclear if the district\u2019s data collection submissions for other years were done appropriately or if reports of misconduct were submitted that year only.<\/p>\n In a statement to The Fresno Bee on Wednesday afternoon, the school district said it \u201ctakes all reports of employee misconduct seriously. When the district learns of potential misconduct of an employee, it investigates the matter in accordance with district policies, the law, and works closely with the appropriate authorities.\u201d<\/p>\n The district did not disclose how many reports of employee misconduct the district received for the year the OCR is investigating.<\/p>\n The school district said that its top priority is student safety, success and well-being and that it will work with the U.S. Department of Education as it conducts its investigation.<\/p>\n The OCR said the investigations will focus on the districts\u2019 policies and procedures that are currently in place are appropriate \u201cto ensure accurate data collection and reporting of these incidents occurs and if their handling of allegations of sexual harassment, including sexual assault by district employees, complies with federal law.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe district is committed to providing a safe learning environment for our students,\u201c said the district\u2019s statement.<\/p>\n The OCR launched this month a national K-12 initiative to protect students from sexual predators in schools. The Department of Education said in a news release on July 10 that \u201ccredible reports of sexual abuse and harassment by adults in positions of authority\u201c are going uninvestigated, or those suspected of sexual misconduct were transferred to new schools or roles within the school districts.<\/p>\n \u201cOur schools must protect America\u2019s children. Parents should never have to wonder whether their kids\u2019 school employs and protects sexual predators,\u201d U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon said in a statement.<\/p>\n McMahon said the initiative will hold school districts accountable.<\/p>\n Guidance<\/a> was issued by the Trump administration to remind school districts receiving federal funding of their legal obligations to respond to incidents of sexual misconduct under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act and Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972.<\/p>\n This story was originally published July 15, 2026 at 4:40 PM.<\/p>\n Related Stories from Fresno Bee<\/p>\n Mar\u00eda G. Ortiz-Briones<\/a><\/p>\n The Fresno Bee<\/p>\n Mar\u00eda G. Ortiz-Briones is a reporter and photographer for McClatchy\u2019s Vida en el Valle publication and the Fresno Bee. She covers issues that impact the Latino community in the Central Valley. She is a regular contributor to La Abeja, The Bee\u2019s free weekly newsletter on Latino issues. | Mar\u00eda G. Ortiz-Briones es reportera y fot\u00f3grafa de la publicaci\u00f3n Vida en el Valle de McClatchy y el Fresno Bee. Ella cubre temas que impactan a la comunidad latina en el Valle Central. Es colaboradora habitual de La Abeja, el bolet\u00edn semanal gratuito de The Bee sobre temas latinos.
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