CVUSD faces criticism over sexual assault and harassment
Over 50 percent of women and almost one in three men experience sexual violence involving physical contact during their lifetime, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC]. More than four in five female rape survivors reported that they were first raped before 25-years-old, and almost half were first raped as a minor, CDC research reveals. Sexual assault and harrassment have always been a topic of discussion, especially with the #MeToo Movement gaining global recognition in 2017. However, there is often hesitation around the subject, as many deem it “uncomfortable” or something “not meant for young ears.” Due to this aspect of current culture, Westlake High School [WHS] students have begun to protest Conejo Valley
Unified School District [CVUSD] policies on sexual violence in response to several instances of alleged sexual harrassment or assault on campus and administration’s allegedly demonstrated negligence in response. Students were further enraged by the school’s lack of punishment for alleged perpetrators and apathy for the victims.
*In the interest of protecting the identities of some sources, fake names will be indicated by an asterisk. This was specifically requested due to concerns for safety.
What is Title IX?
The district’s current policy for evaluating situations of reported sexual assault is Title IX, a federal civil rights act instated in 1972 which announces, “No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from the participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance,” according to the U.S. Congress. In regards to sex-based harassment and sexual violence, Title IX follows a series of due process requirements. After the first notice of allegation, a two-step evidence inspection process begins. Once a written determination is issued, “the decision-maker must then apply the factual findings to the applicable ‘code of conduct’ or other relevant policies and procedures to determine responsibility,” as per the “Title IX: Overview, Reporting & Actions Taken” CVUSD School Board presentation given at the May 7 meeting. After this decision is made, one can file an appeal.
WHS student protests
In response to the alleged dismissal of sexual assault and sexual harassment cases, a protest at WHS, organized by students, took place on May 2 at 12 p.m.. Hundreds of students exited their
fourth period classes and walked into the quad, where many took turns speaking about their or their friends’ experiences. Others were heard cheering and demanding change, with multiple posters being held up in the crowd.
With a megaphone in hand, Olivia Ludwick, junior at WHS, called for a change in student culture on campus, and criticized the actions of the school and district administration. Ludwick was motivated to speak out after learning of her friend’s experience with sexual violence. “When she told me, it really kinda pushed me over the edge because I [realized] this isn’t just people I don’t know, this is my best friend,” Ludwick said. “That kind of gave me more fuel than I already had to go ahead and speak up for people who are in those situations.”
Many speakers partially tied the presence of sexual assault on campus to media influence. “Though we can’t necessarily dictate what kids watch on their own time, I feel like in the district, it’s important that at a young age it’s a conversation. We always talk about personal spaces, but [we should] have that message grow with people over time,” Ludwick said. Students offered ideas on how the cultural attitude towards sexual assault can be changed. “I think [it’s important to have] mandatory assemblies talking about this at every sort of educational level to make sure the people really get it drilled into their heads,” Ludwick said.
While these issues of sexual assault and harassment have recently been brought to light to the broader community, many students, including Lex Kirkpatrick, junior at WHS, feel that they
have long existed. “[The culture has] always kind of been there but, I’d say [there’s been] a recent uptick, probably in the last month, [not of] sexual assault cases themselves, but more of people noticing and taking action,” Kirkpatrick said. “It’s just normal to walk down the halls and just hear the most jaw dropping, like, ‘oh my god, did he just say that out loud,’ type of thing.”
NPHS student responses
As news of the events at WHS started to spread to other CVUSD campuses, frustration and concern has risen among several students. At NPHS, questions of how the district can learn and adapt to best ensure the safety and comfort of all students have become a popular topic of conversation. After the Panther Prowler sent out a survey to all CVUSD high school students, 137 high school students commented on the current state of school safety.
When comparing the situations in Newbury Park and Westlake, Sebastian Hall, junior at NPHS, believes that although sexual assault and harassment may occur at NPHS, reports are treated with greater respect and attention. “I feel like I would feel safe talking to [NPHS’ administration]. And from what I’ve seen of other people, it seems like a decently transparent process,” Hall said. From witnessing his friends report incidents to administration to hearing WHS’s treatment of similar incidents, Hall feels disheartened by the way the victims have been allegedly mistreated at a school so close to his own.
Stephanie Berry, junior at NPHS, feels that sexual assault and harassment are prevalent all high schools and in all grades, including NPHS. “I was told my freshman year by a male classmate that I ‘force people to look at my body with the things I wear,’ and that I’m asking for attention. I was wearing a cropped tank top and sweatpants,” Berry said.
Despite various opinions about NPHS’ handling of such allegations, many have become more aware of the district’s policies since the testimonies of WHS survivors. “It’s made me pay attention more to what’s going on around me,” Hall said. “It’s made me want to really help people to feel comfortable to speak about things.”
WHS community protests
A few hours following the walkout, another protest was organized outside of the campus, which took place at the intersection of Thousand Oaks Blvd. and Lakeview Canyon Rd. at 3 p.m.. Students, parents and supporters of the cause gathered with signs and a megaphone, chanting statements like, “We believe survivors,” “Protect students, not reputations” and “‘No’ means ‘no’” to cars
passing by.
Southwood pointed out that sexual assault and harassment are not anomalies on campus, and believes current practices have enabled perpetrators. “The culture is increasing [assaulters’] confidence in their beliefs and making everything more outward and encouraging other people to do it,” Southwood said. However, since people began to speak out, she has noticed changes on campus. “[Sexual assault] went under the radar for a long time, it was almost like everyone’s decision to start talking about it occurred once one person found the courage, and everyone shared their stories.”
Recognizing the importance of students pushing for administrative action, Southwood decided to create petitions to share with the student body and beyond. “Once you reach a certain
number, it’s at a point, almost undeniable, there’s no room for interpretation,” Southwood said. The petitions demand punishment for rape sympathizers, to restore Mrs. Zasadil to her teaching position and change of leadership at WHS.
Students are advocating not only for reform, but also to defend their peers who are survivors of sexual assault. Melaina Serve, senior at WHS, has made her voice heard at numerous events to support victims who are afraid to speak out or worried about the repercussions they have witnessed others face for doing so. “My whole life, my mom has always been the type of person to say, ‘closed mouths don’t get fed.’ I think complaining about an issue is one thing, but speaking out about it and trying to enact change is another,” Serve said.
Many voiced their frustration for the administration’s reception of sexual assault cases and inaction despite students’ appeal for justice. Alongside over 40 students and parents, Serve calls
for a change of leadership at WHS. “The people put in charge need to be put in their place, or they need to find another job, because they’re supposed to be protecting their students and making sure that they have a safe education and they’re failing to do so,” Serve said. Serve also recognizes the need for reform to change the current culture for future students. “This is real and it’s happening. It’s not something to look away from, and it’s not going away either,” Serve said.
In the week following the protests, Southwood has seen a change in the environment and attributes it to the calling out of current behaviors. “[Previously,] I would just kind of hear in passing like some kind of misogynistic comment, and it bothered me a little, but I wouldn’t think too much about it. But in the last two days it’s definitely felt a lot more safe,” Southwood said.
CVUSD community reactions
Students, parents and teachers have attended multiple CVUSD school board meetings in addition to the protests to prove the importance of change within sexual assault reporting and support policies.
A teacher at WHS for the past 15 years, Lauren Zasadil, attended and spoke at the April 16 board of education meeting, one day after being placed on administrative leave, removing her from her classroom and prohibiting from corresponding with anyone in the district. Zasadil spoke about concerns that were raised by students in her Contemporary World Issues Honors class. “Boys’ [social media] spaces are just so radically different, dominated by […] increasingly misogynistic content like Andrew Tate, content that is pointedly anti-women and pushing back very, very clearly against the #MeToo movement,” Zasadil said. “I have heard a common joke amongst boys, where they say that asking for consent, ‘Well that’s like a 2020 thing, we don’t have to do that anymore.’ […] What is most depressing is during this discussion, you often hear this resignation in how they talk about it. They exhibit this feeling of powerlessness and that our systems don’t really support them,” Zasadil said. As of May 29, Zasadil has not returned to teaching at WHS.
There were 13 other public comments at this board meeting, including Emily Edwards’, mother of three CVUSD students, who stated that statistically, of female CVUSD students, 920 will experience sexual assault during their lifetime and 306 during their secondary school years. “Their right to a safe environment was stolen from them when they were forced to attend school with
their assaulter,” Edwards said. Edwards noted that her estimate was only based on reported cases. “Of the six strong and determined women in my family, three have been sexually assaulted. 50 percent of my family. So we know the number is probably greater than 306,” Edwards said.
Tim Piatt, a grandfather of three CVUSD students, also spoke at the April 16 school board meeting. As a father and as someone who has worked in education, he has witnessed various proceedings
following sexual assault reports, and urged the school board to take a more definitive stance. “You need to make it safe for students to be at school, you need to make it safe to be heard. Justice delayed is justice denied,” Piatt said.
Parents often feel an innate duty to protect their children. For the mother of Student B*, another student who was allegedly assaulted while attending Westlake High School, as reported in The Acorn, the process of advocating for her daughter has been long and complex. Student B’s mother emphasizes the importance of respecting the victim’s wishes. “This is her story and her experience, and I’m just trying tosupport it,” Student B’s mother said.
Although several parents have begun to demand change, many have also recognized that their primary goal is to take whatever actions necessary to protect their children. “The goal [of this
movement] was not to throw the baby out with the bathwater. The goal was to say, ‘There’s this very specific problem that seems to be pervasive. Let’s bring it to light, and then let’s come up with some solutions,’” Student B’s mother said.
Student victims of sexual assault
The movement of WHS students coming forward and speaking about their experiences has led to students at various CVUSD schools to come forward about their own experiences and administration’s response. They shared how the physical and psychological impacts of such alleged sexual assault have impacted them, sometimes years after the incident took place.
Emma Smith*, a senior in the CVUSD, experienced sexual assault during her freshman year. “I was taken advantage of by an upperclassman. He would grope me, touch me inappropriately and say very degrading things to me every day for the five months that I was with him. One day, he decided to pin me to the ground and sexually assaulted me. A week after it happened, I went to my school staff, even though I was made to believe by him that no one would believe my story. They said that they would handle it,” Smith said. “All they did to him was give him a scolding and slap on the wrist.”
Smith believes that these reactions resulted from a belief that it is “easier” for administrations to pretend as if the incident never took place. “It’s not fair for the survivors to be the ones left scarred physically, psychologically [and] emotionally, while the perpetrators can go about the rest of their high school days unpunished. Schools aren’t a hunting ground. Students shouldn’t have to fear walking down the halls of their schools,” Smith said.
According to the National Sexual Violence Resource Center, the most under-reported crime is rape, as 63 percent of such assaults remain undisclosed to the authorities. As The Acorn reported,
Student A*, a student at WHS, was allegedly sexually assaulted in 2023. She did not come forward about her experience until October of 2024, filing for a Title IX investigation. “It took some
time to fully understand everything that happened. I dealt with a lot of fragmented memories and so it kind of just came up this year. I didn’t even really go into it, like, ‘Oh, I want to report this.’ It
was more like I saw [some] people were trying to keep me from reporting it. Almost in a petty way, [this] made me want to report it even more because I don’t want to be silenced in that sense,”
Student A said.
Throughout the investigation process, Student A was required to answer questions about what had happened, write a report and have other students provide witness statements about her character, before and after the alleged assault. “[The administration] had no empathy. […] Their three hour training that they say that they get is not enough, not nearly enough,” Student A said.
The people who shared their own stories hope to inspire others to come forward, so that change can be made. “I was so happy to be a part of [this movement]. There were so many strong and resilient individuals who spoke out [and] I couldn’t be more proud of them,” Smith said. “It very much filled me and the people I was with with hope, hope that change will come from all of this.”
Individual school responses
In addition to the statements made by the CVUSD School Board, individual school sites have begun to respond to the protests organized by community members.
Stephen Lepire, principal at NPHS, believes that the school’s staff has prioritized empathy when handling allegations of sexual assault. “I think the most important thing is to have a really good understanding of the individual and what they’re going through to make that individual or that family feel like they have somebody that is on their
side,” Lepire said. Lepire also emphasized that no evidence is required to report an incident.
NPHS’ administration spoke to several members of the Associated Student Government [ASG] class to hear students’ perspectives. Aleesa Iqbal, ASG vice president, observed that in
general, students encouraged transparency. “Whether it’s sexual harassment or whether its any other sort of situation on campus, the students are saying that we feel like our admin needs to be a lot more upfront with us about events that happen,” Iqbal said.
Lepire ultimately believes the CVUSD provides sufficient training to staff members. However, he also notes that improvements can always be made. “As a school, we can always get better, and we can’t stand still on that. We don’t want to be reactive as much as proactive,” Lepire said.
The Panther Prowler reached out to WHS’ principal Jason Branham on May 16 but was unable to get an interview.
Actions taken by CVUSD
As people have begun to speak out about their opinions on the problem regarding sexual assault and harrassment on the WHS campus, the CVUSD school board and administration have responded by updating current and creating additional policies.
Following the public comments section at the April 16 CVUSD school board meeting, Trustee Lisa Evans Powell stated that due to the Brown Act, the board is limited on their responses, although they can make brief comments. “I know it’s very intimidating to speak before the board, especially when we talk about personal stories and sensitive content like sexual harassment or sexual assault. I commend you on your courage for coming here tonight and I want you to feel assured that you are heard tonight,” Powell said.
At the following CVUSD school board meeting, on May 7, Resolution #24/25-46 was presented, addressing Title IX investigations and related practices. This resolution highlighted the district’s commitment to creating a safe, inclusive and supportive environment for every student. “CVUSD has made ongoing efforts to enhance training and awareness among staff and administrators, implement trauma-informed practices and ensure that appropriate support systems are in place,” the resolution stated. The resolution went on to share the steps that will be taken in the future to ensure students are provided with a safe, respectful and non- discriminatory educational experience.
As of May 29, Resolution #24/25-46 has not yet been passed and adopted.
Additionally, the Panther Prowler reached out to CVUSD School Board trustees Cindy Goldberg, Bill Gorback, Lauren Gill, Karen Sylvester and Lisa Powell. We were unable to get any interviews.
Conclusion
Every year in the U.S., there are approximately 463,634 victims of rape and sexual assault ages twelve or older, according to the “Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network.” Additionally, in the United States, about every 68 seconds, someone is sexually assaulted. The recent protests at WHS have served as a reminder that such crimes occur on the local level. Those who were dissatisfied with the administration’s response to such reports are working to have their voices heard and stop the culture of silence that has kept so many in the dark. If you have experienced sexual assault, a complaint can be filed by telling a mandated reporter on a CVUSD campus or by making an anonymous comment on WeTip, accessed through the CVUSD Classlink website. Sexual crimes can be reported to the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office at (805) 654 – 2380. Additionally, if you are in need of someone to talk to, you can reach out to the National Sexual Assault Hotline at (800) 656 – 4673.
