U.S. Department
of Justice
School Bullying - Federal Agency Contacts
SCHOOL BULLYING – FEDERAL AGENCY CONTACTS |
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U.S. DEPT. OF JUSTICE, CIVIL RIGHTS DIVISION, EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES SECTION (EOS) |
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Website: https://www.justice.gov/crt/educational-opportunities-section EOS enforces federal laws that protect students from harassment or discrimination. It is responsible for enforcing Title IV of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, and religion in public schools and institutions of higher learning; the Equal Educational Opportunities Act of 1974 which, among other things, requires states and school districts to provide English Language Learner (ELL) students with appropriate services to overcome language barriers; and the Americans with Disabilities Act, which prohibits disability discrimination. EOS also plays a significant role in enforcing Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race, color, and national origin by recipients of federal funds); Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972 (prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sex by recipients of federal funds); and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (both of which address disability discrimination and appropriate disability-related services). EOS accepts complaints of potential violations:
U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division In order to properly respond to a complaint, EOS requests that complainants provide their name, address, and the name of the school/school district/university where the alleged discrimination occurred. |
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CIVIL RIGHTS COORDINATOR, U.S. ATTORNEY’S OFFICE |
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Website: https://www.justice.gov/usao-sc/civil-rights U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of South Carolina The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina is one of 93 such offices in the United States. The U.S. Attorney is appointed by, and serves at the pleasure of, the President of the United States. The U.S. Attorney is the chief federal law enforcement officer of the United States within his or her jurisdiction. The U.S. Attorney has offices in Columbia, Greenville, Florence, and Charleston. The U.S. Attorney’s Office represents the interests of the United States in civil, criminal, and appellate litigation. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to protecting the civil and constitutional rights of all Americans, particularly some of the most vulnerable members of our society. The Office enforces federal statutes prohibiting discrimination based on race, color, sex, disability, religion, familial status, and national origin. We also enforce other laws that protect servicemembers, veterans, voting rights, prisoner rights, and educational opportunities. The Office also enforces criminal laws regarding hate crimes, police misconduct, and human trafficking. |
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U.S. DEPT. OF EDUCATION, OFFICE FOR CIVIL RIGHTS (ED OCR) |
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Website: https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/index.html Email: ocr@ed.gov; Telephone: 202-453-6100 or 800-421-3481; TDD: 800-877-8339; Language Assistance: 800-USA-LEARN (800-872-5327) OCR’s mission is to ensure equal access to education and to promote educational excellence through vigorous enforcement of civil rights in our nation’s schools. How to File a Discrimination Complaint with ED OCR: https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/howto.html?src=rt Technical Assistance: OCR also offers technical assistance to the public and will respond to inquiries about schools’ obligations and the rights of students and parents under the laws that OCR enforces. For contact information, please visit ED’s website at https://www2.ed.gov/about/contacts/gen/index.html
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OFFICE FOR CIVIL RIGHTS (OCR), OFFICE OF JUSTICE PROGRAMS, DOJ, DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE PROGRAMS (OJP) |
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Website: https://www.ojp.gov/program/civil-rights-office/about Complaints: https://www.ojp.gov/program/civil-rights-office/filing-civil-rights-complaint Contacts Director: Michael Alston The Office of Justice Programs (OJP) provides innovative leadership to federal, state, local, and tribal justice systems, by disseminating state-of-the art knowledge and practices across America, and providing grants for the implementation of these crime-fighting strategies. Because most of the responsibility for crime control and prevention falls to law enforcement officers in states, cities, and neighborhoods, the federal government can be effective in these areas only to the extent that it can enter into partnerships with these officers. The Office for Civil Rights (OCR) at OJP ensures that recipients of financial assistance from OJP and its components comply with federal laws that prohibit discrimination in both employment and the delivery of services or benefits based on race, color, national origin, sex, religion, and disability. In addition, federal law prohibits recipients of federal financial assistance from discriminating on the basis of age in the delivery of services or benefits. |
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CRS or DOJ COMMUNITY RELATIONS SERVICE |
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Main webpage: https://www.justice.gov/crs CRS Regional Office Contacts: https://www.justice.gov/crs/about-crs/regional-and-field-offices#CentralRegion CRS is the DOJ’s "Peacemaker" for community conflicts and tensions arising from differences of race, color, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, and disability. CRS is not an investigatory or prosecutorial agency, and it does not have any law enforcement authority. CRS works with all parties, including State and local units of government, private and public organizations, civil rights groups, and community leaders, to uncover the underlying interests of all of those involved in the conflict and facilitates the development of viable, mutual understandings, and solutions to the community's challenges. In addition, CRS assists communities in developing local mechanisms and community capacity to prevent tension and violent hate crimes from occurring the future. All CRS services are provided free of charge to the communities and are confidential. CRS works in all 50 states and the U.S. territories, and in communities large and small, rural, urban, and suburban. |