WHITINGHAM — A settlement agreement between the U.S. Department of Justice and Twin Valley was resolved early.
The three-year agreement was entered in March 2023 to resolve noncompliance issues related to Title 4 of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 after the DOJ found the district “failed to respond adequately to known complaints of peer harassment and a broader hostile environment in Twin Valley Middle-High School,” a letter the DOJ sent to the superintendent this week.
“We write to notify you that the United States has determined the District has substantially complied with its obligations under the Agreement,” the letter states. “We are therefore concluding monitoring of the Agreement and formally closing this matter.”
A corrective action plan with the DOJ was prompted by a settlement of a complaint filed by the American Civil Liberties Union on behalf of a former student who suffered bullying and racial harassment at the school during the 2020-2021 school year.
Since entering into the settlement agreement, the letter states, “the district has worked diligently and collaboratively with the United States to implement the Agreement’s terms, including improving its response to and investigation of complaints of discrimination, conducting thorough assessments of the school’s educational environment, and taking responsive action reasonably designed to remedy the harm caused and prevent reoccurrence. The District’s proactive and substantial commitment to this endeavor has led to significant improvement in the District’s processes and practices.”
The matter is considered “fully resolved.” The district “remains obligated to comply with all federal civil-rights laws,” according to the letter.
“Please extend our appreciation to all of the teachers, para-educators, and administrators who have contributed to the District’s important efforts,” the letter states.
Windham Southwest Superintendent Bill Bazyk told the Reformer the DOJ conducted a site visit at the school in the fall, “spending significant time learning about both the work we’ve implemented and our plans moving forward.”
“We have had several meetings with them since,” he said. “I believe they are genuinely impressed by the TVMHS staff’s strong commitment to the agreement, as well as the central office’s dedication to following through.”
Previously, another visit from DOJ staffers was expected in fall 2025.
Bazyk described “a real sense of positive change” at the school.
“And I think the DOJ recognized that,” he said. “None of this has happened in isolation as our School Board’s efforts to engage the community in improving TVMHS were clearly noticed. I believe we’ve earned a degree of trust from the DOJ to continue our progress without ongoing oversight.”
Asked if the early resolution has to do with the change in the presidential administration, Bazyk said the question had come up.
“To my knowledge, this issue has not been resolved by the new administration nor has anyone at the DOJ stated that,” he said.
When Bazyk started working as superintendent at WSWSU in July 2024, staff started “building a strong working relationship with the DOJ attorneys throughout the fall,” he said. The collaboration continued beyond January into the spring.
“My hope is they recognized our commitment to the students and the dedication of the staff at TVMHS,” Bazyk said. “It would be disappointing if that effort were seen in any other light.”
