Attorney General Bonta Reminds School Districts of Legal Responsibility to Keep All Students Safe by Preventing and Responding to Sexual Harassment, Assault, and Abuse

Students and parents have a right — and school districts have a legal obligation — to address sexual harassment, assault, and abuse in schools

LOS ANGELES — As part of the California Department of Justice’s ongoing effort to address sexual harassment, assault, and abuse allegations at schools across California, California Attorney General Rob Bonta today issued a legal alert to remind K-12 school districts of their legal obligation under California law to stop, prevent, and remedy sexual misconduct in education programs and activities. California has laws to protect students and address these types of incidents, including the California Education Code and Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act. Today’s legal alert provides information regarding legal protections and obligations under California law. Additionally, Attorney General Bonta launched a new webpage and Know Your Rights alert in six languages reminding California families and students of their rights under California law, encouraging them to immediately report incidents of sexual harassment, assault, and abuse, and providing information on the formal and informal supports, investigative process, and resolution they can expect in addressing such complaints.

“Sexual harassment, assault, and abuse in schools is far too common and completely unacceptable. Every student has a right to a safe learning environment, and it is the duty of our school districts — along with a moral obligation — to step off the sidelines and be a part of the solution,” said Attorney General Bonta. “It’s time to turn up the volume and reject the quiet acceptance of these incidents. We owe it to our community and especially to our children to ensure that all sexual misconduct is adequately addressed. I encourage all survivors, past and present, to understand their rights, come forward, and help us put an end to sexual harassment, assault, and abuse — my office has your back.” 

Sexual harassment continues to be far too common in schools. According to recent data, in just one school year, school districts across the country reported 2,700 incidents of sexual assault, 350 incidents of rape or attempted rape, and 17,000 allegations of harassment on the basis of sex. Between 2019 and 2023, California school districts paid an estimated $2-$3 billion to student victims of sexual abuse by employees. These incidents of inappropriate behavior are unfortunately highly prevalent, but continue to be underreported and too often, mishandled.  

The California Department of Justice, through the Bureau of Children’s Justice, is committed to defending and upholding the civil rights of students and children. Today’s legal alert reminds school districts of their legal obligations regarding sexual harassment, assault, and abuse. It also discusses school districts’ obligation under recently enacted Senate Bill (SB) 848 (2025, Perez) to develop a comprehensive school safety plan by July 1, 2026 to protect children from abuse, neglect, or sex offenses. California parents and students can find an overview of their rights and resources at oag.ca.gov/bcj/schools.

Every Child Has a Right to a Safe and Secure Learning Environment, Free of Sexual Harassment, Assault, and Abuse:

If anyone reports that a child is sexually harassed, assaulted, or abused in connection with a school, the school district has a legal responsibility to: 

• Stop the sexual harassment, assault, or abuse;
• Remove any hostile environment for the child and any other impacted student;
• Address the harm that already happened; and
• Prevent any more harm from happening.

You and Your Child Have a Right to Report Inappropriate Behavior to Any School District Employee: 

If the complaint involves child neglect or abuse in any way, the school district must report it to law enforcement or child welfare. Sexual abuse is child abuse and includes someone sexually touching a child on their groin or inner thigh over their clothes. If the school district knows about the sexual harassment, assault, or abuse, the school district must contact the child’s parent or guardian immediately, with limited exceptions. 

Additional Protections:

• The district must take immediate action if it receives a report of sexual harassment, assault, or abuse — no matter what. It cannot ignore a report because you failed to “fill out the right form” or “report to the right person.”
• You and your child have a right not to be retaliated against.
• In most cases, you and your child have the right to choose between a formal investigation or an informal process.

Additional Resources:

• Submit a Complaint: California Office of the Attorney General, Bureau of Children’s Justice
• Submit a Complaint: U.S. Department of Education
• Together For Wellness: Together for Wellness connects California youth to mental health support from people who’ve been there, whether it’s school, stress, or something deeper. 
• Find Help for Child Abuse and Domestic Violence | First 5 California
• Office of Child Abuse Prevention (OCAP)
• Coalition for the Victims of Child Abuse: Statewide network of professionals serving victims of child abuse 

Learn more about your rights and resources in English, Spanish, Chinese (Simplified), Tagalog, Vietnamese, and Korean.

Attorney General Bonta is committed to protecting and empowering California students. Last month, he announced a settlement with El Monte Union High School District to address shortfalls in the district’s response to allegations of sexual harassment, assault, and abuse of students. In January, Attorney General Bonta announced a settlement with the Sacramento City Unified School District to address unlawful enrollment policies and practices that unfairly disadvantaged certain student groups, such as foster youth, youth experiencing homelessness, socioeconomically disadvantaged students, and students with disabilities. In 2024, he secured a wide-ranging settlement with Redlands Unified School District to address critical and systemic shortfalls in the district’s policies and practices regarding its response to allegations and complaints of sexual harassment, assault, and abuse of students.