Students and parents are speaking out over the alleged mishandling of sexual assault and harassment involving students at Westlake High School in Thousand Oaks.
The Conejo Valley Unified School District held a board meeting Wednesday night, where several people expressed concerns over the alleged incidents.
“It is truly heartbreaking to hear about cases of assault happening in our school community, and it’s even more devastating to see nothing being done about it,” said Melaina Serve, a senior at Westlake High.
Some students and parents claimed that school administrators aren’t taking reports of sexual assault seriously and, in some cases, have allegedly brushed the incidents aside.
“I shouldn’t have to be worried about walking the halls or seeing someone who I’ve been sexually assaulted by sitting right next to me in class,” Serve said.
District officials told KTLA an investigation into one Title IX complaint is ongoing, but said it hasn’t received any additional formal complaints from students, staff or parents.
However, people familiar with the allegations who did not wish to be identified claimed victims were told “there isn’t enough evidence” or that their attacker was simply given a “slap on the wrist.”
They alleged that the young women who were victimized are often concerned about making a big deal or are too traumatized to report the incident at all.
“We know that victims of sexual assault are traumatized, ashamed, fearful of reprisal for speaking,” said a concerned community member at the board meeting.
School board representative Lisa Evans Powell said she was limited in what she could say following public comment, but wanted to recognize the powerful testimony given by speakers.
“I commend you on your courage for coming here and I want you to feel assured that you were heard tonight,” Powell said.
In a statement to KTLA, a Conejo Valley Unified School District spokesperson said, “In compliance with federal law, it has comprehensive complaint procedures in place to address reports and complaints of sexual harassment, which include offering supportive measures to the complainant, conducting an investigation by trained individuals, which at times is a third party, and an appeal process.”
A father who attended the meeting but did not wish to be identified told KTLA’s Rachel Menitoff that the situation is “an emotional thing for me because my daughter was affected by this.”
He said his daughter was a victim of sexual violence and the school leadership’s alleged complacency.
“The school administration needs to be replaced, not maybe entirely, but those who are making the decisions that are not benefiting the safety of the students,” he said.
District officials emphasized that staff are available to help students report abuse and parents or students can report incidents anonymously through an online school tip line.
