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?
Title IX
Posted inSchools
District settles sexual assault lawsuit that sparked Berkeley High walkout
A former student had sued the Berkeley school district for negligence after she said she was assaulted in a classroom three years ago.
Posted inSchools
Update: Teacher in sexual assault suits has license revoked
Matthew Bissell is no longer allowed to teach in California public schools after a commission permanently revoked his teaching credential.
Posted inSchools
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.”
Posted inSchools
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.
Posted inSchools
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.
Posted inSchools
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.
Posted inSchools
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.
Posted inSchools
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.
Posted inSchools
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.
Posted inSchools
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.
Posted inOpinion
Opinion: Violating Title IX? No problem, according to Betsy DeVos
Berkeley High should ensure survivors of sexual assault or harassment can avoid contact with the alleged perpetrator, switching classes, if necessary.