Student leaders trust her. She’s made the complaint process less painful. But can the charismatic Title IX coordinator fix how the district handles sexual assault?
BHS Stop Harassing
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Buffy Wicks considers legal changes to prevent educator sexual misconduct from getting ‘swept under the rug’
Prompted by Berkeleyside’s investigation into sexual misconduct allegations against a Berkeley High teacher, Wicks is considering changes to the California Public Records Act and Education Code.
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In 2nd lawsuit, another student accuses Berkeley High chemistry teacher of sexual assault
The suit argues that the Berkeley school district’s inaction reveals a pattern of protecting “predators over students.”
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Berkeley High knew for 15 years of allegations chemistry teacher sexually harassed students
After years of sexual misconduct complaints, the school district signed a gag order allowing Matthew Bissell to quietly resign.
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Berkeley Unified sheds light on plans to improve Title IX office
Changes are coming to the district’s sexual harm reporting process, the result of mounting community pressure to better protect survivors.
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Student’s testimony puts pressure on school board to move faster on sexual harm reforms
A Berkeley High student gave a harrowing account of what happened when she tried to report her sexual assault in 2019, hoping to spur action.
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She tried to reform Berkeley Unified’s Title IX office. After 6 months of frustration, she quit.
Mardi Walters resigned as Title IX coordinator in February 2020 after trying to fix how the Berkeley school district handles sexual misconduct. Now she’s speaking publicly for the first time about why she left.
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Former Berkeley High teacher Matthew Bissell tried to dodge being served with sexual assault lawsuit, source says
Matthew Bissell was finally served on Aug. 19, two months after the lawsuit was initially filed.
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A haunting photo led this yearbook teacher to uncover alleged sexual assaults at Berkeley High
Last March, Genevieve Mage saw a 2003 yearbook photo of her colleague Matthew Bissell inappropriately hugging a 17-year-old student. She couldn’t let it go.
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Suit claims former Berkeley High teacher sexually assaulted students for years, district covered it up
Shortly before the suit was filed, a district Title IX investigation found that former chemistry teacher and football coach Matthew Bissell engaged in a years-long pattern of inappropriate behavior.
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Women’s Student Union at Berkeley High sues Dept. of Ed to overturn Trump-era sexual misconduct rules
The students hope that the lawsuit, if successful, could pave the way for more safeguards for survivors in the future.
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Anger, fear at Berkeley High in wake of sexual assault accusations
Campus culture and safety issues have bubbled to the surface at Berkeley High School this week, with students publicly accusing their classmates of sexual assault and their administration of failing to prevent it.