Section 33354 Of Article 3. Educational Programs From California Education Code >> Division 2. >> Title 2. >> Part 20. >> Chapter 3. >> Article 3.
33354
. (a) The department shall have the following authority over
interscholastic athletics:
(1) The department may state that the policies of school
districts, of associations or consortia of school districts, and of
the California Interscholastic Federation, concerning interscholastic
athletics, are in compliance with both state and federal law.
(2) (A) If the department states that a school district, an
association, consortium of school districts, or the California
Interscholastic Federation is not in compliance with state or federal
law, the department may require the school district, association,
consortium, or the federation to adjust its policy so that it is in
compliance. However, the department shall not have authority to
determine the specific policy that a school district must adopt in
order to comply with state and federal law.
(B) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a complainant from
a public school who wishes to file a discrimination complaint
pursuant to the regulations adopted for the purpose of implementing
Section 261 based on interscholastic activities conducted by an
association, a consortium of school districts, or by the California
Interscholastic Federation, is not required to first file a
discrimination complaint with a school district, but may file an
initial discrimination complaint directly with the department, and
the department shall have the authority to specify, with regard to a
specific discrimination complaint, the administrative remedies that
an association, a consortium of school districts, or the California
Interscholastic Federation must provide in order to comply with state
or federal law.
(3) If the department states that a school district, association,
consortium, or the federation is not in compliance with state or
federal law in matters relating to interscholastic activities, and
the school district, association, consortium, or the federation does
not change its policy in order to comply with these laws, the
department may commence with appropriate legal proceedings against
the California Interscholastic Federation, the school district or
against school districts that are members of the California
Interscholastic Federation or the association or consortium that the
department states is in noncompliance. In a legal proceeding, the
court shall determine the matter de novo. The department may make
recommendations for appropriate remedies in these proceedings.
(b) This section does not limit the discretion of local governing
boards, or voluntary associations formed or maintained pursuant to
subdivision (b) of Section 35179, in any policy, program, or activity
that is in compliance with state and federal law.
(c) The state law with which the policies of school districts,
associations, or consortia of school districts, and of the California
Interscholastic Federation, concerning interscholastic athletics,
are required to comply, in accordance with this section, includes,
but is not limited to, any regulations issued by the state board
pursuant to Section 221.1 with regard to discrimination in
interscholastic athletics.