The Berkeley Unified School District is committed to establishing policies and procedures to address complaints regarding insufficiency of textbooks and instructional materials, teacher vacancy or misassignment, and emergency or urgent facilities conditions that pose a threat to the health and safety of students or staff (California Ed Code §35186). When such a complaint is filed with the district, the district is required to investigate and resolve the complaint in accordance with the Williams complaint procedures established pursuant to 5 CCR 4680-4687.
The Eliezer Williams, et al., vs. State of California, et al. (Williams) case was filed as a class action in 2000 in San Francisco County Superior Court. The plaintiffs included nearly 100 San Francisco County pupils, who filed suit against the State of California and state education agencies, including the California Department of Education (CDE). The basis of the lawsuit was that the agencies failed to provide public school pupils with equal access to instructional materials, safe and decent school facilities, and qualified teachers. After four years of intense litigation, the parties in the case reached a Settlement Agreement on August 13, 2004. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed laws implementing the legislative proposals set forth in the parties’ Settlement Agreement on September 29, 2004.
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For Williams inquiries or complaints related to insufficiency of textbooks and instructional materials, teacher vacancy or misassignment, and emergency or urgent facilities conditions that pose a threat to the health and safety of students or staff, please contact:
Jasmina Viteskic
District Title IX Coordinator/Compliance Officer
Berkeley Unified School District
2020 Bonar Street, Room 117, Berkeley CA 94702
Phone: (510) 486-9338 | Email: complaints@berkeley.net