According to Title IX, no education program or activity receiving federal funds may discriminate against any person on the basis of sex, nor retaliate against any person for opposing an unlawful educational practice or policy, or making charges, testifying or participating in any complaint action under Title IX.
The Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) is responsible for enforcing this law. OCR evaluates, investigates, and resolves complaints alleging sex discrimination. OCR also conducts proactive investigations, called compliance reviews, to examine potential systemic violations. In addition to its enforcement activities, OCR provides technical assistance and information and guidance to schools, universities and other agencies to assist them in voluntarily complying with the law.
Since the passage of this law, some opponents have sought to weaken it. In addition, on June 16, 2017, the Department of Education announced its decision to narrow investigations into civil rights violations at public schools and universities. This scaling back means that the Department of Education will not fully protect students’ civil rights or address all the underlying issues that are a factor in complaints.
AAUW has long supported vigorous enforcement of Title IX to ensure that our schools are free from discrimination and violence, and OCR plays a critical role in this enforcement. OCR must resist pressure from some members of Congress and other Title IX opponents to weaken the regulations used to implement Title IX. Now more than ever, it’s essential that we protect the mechanisms that keep Title IX strong.
AAUW advocates thorough investigation of complaints and proactive compliance review and believes OCR must receive adequate funding to strengthen its Title IX enforcement efforts. Congress has the ability to provide adequate funding to OCR to ensure that the agency will maintain these critical services. OCR should also be a reliable resource for technical assistance regarding implementation of Title IX, providing regular training through the department’s regional offices as well as useful reference materials via the web and other avenues.
We must protect civil rights and equal opportunity so our students can reach their full potential in a climate free of discrimination and violence. Tell your members of Congress to stand up for gender equity in education by adequately funding OCR and fighting against any attempts to roll back Title IX!
How can you contact OCR?
- Telephone: 800-421-3481
- FAX: 202-453-6012; TDD: 800-877-8339
- Email: OCR@ed.gov
- Mailing address: U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20202-1328
How can you contact OCR?
- Telephone: 800-421-3481
- FAX: 202-453-6012; TDD: 800-877-8339
- Email: OCR@ed.gov
- Mailing address: U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20202-1328
The information above was taken from the following sources:
https://www.aauw.org/files/2013/02/position-on-title-IX-111.pdf
https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/tix_dis.html
http://salsa4.salsalabs.com/o/50796/p/dia/action4/common/public/?action_KEY=21394
https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/tix_dis.html
http://salsa4.salsalabs.com/o/50796/p/dia/action4/common/public/?action_KEY=21394