Title IX v2

Title IX, a clause of the 1972 Education Amendments, states: “No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.”

Title IX has brought an end to many injustices since it was enacted almost 50 years ago. However, bureaucrats have expanded the definitions of discrimination and harassment over the years in a way that has been harmful to students on campus. The process for adjudicating serious allegations on campus, for example, has been plagued by bias, vagueness, and overreach – undermining a system that was intended to ensure access to education for all students. Instead, bureaucrats have created a climate of fear and suspicion on campus and destroyed students’ appreciation for the traditions of fairness upon which this country was built.

In May of 2020, new Title IX rules were issued by the Department of Education which could provide much-needed clarity for students, universities, families, and administrators. They could also enshrine procedural safeguards that will start to restore trust in a broken system. Speech First will be following the issue closely.