HOUSTON – You’ve probably heard of Title IX in news headlines recently regarding student protections in educational settings.
In August, the Katy Independent School District voted 4-3 to require teachers to notify parents if their child comes out as transgender or asks to use different pronouns in school.
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Now a student group has filed a formal complaint with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights regarding the policy claiming the policy violates students’ rights under Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, which prohibits discrimination “on the basis sex, be excluded from participating in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.”
So, what exactly is Title IX, and how does it directly impact you and your family? We’ve broken down what Title IX is and what it does.
What is this law?
Title IX is a law that says people cannot be discriminated against based on their sex, regarding education programs and activities that receive federal funding. It also protects people based on their sexual orientation or gender identity.
The law applies to 17,600 school districts, more than 5,000 postsecondary institutions, for-profit schools, charter schools, libraries, and museums.
“Some key issue areas in which recipients have Title IX obligations are recruitment, admissions, and counseling; financial assistance; athletics; sex-based harassment, which encompasses sexual assault and other forms of sexual violence; treatment of pregnant and parenting students; treatment of LGBTQI+ students; discipline; single-sex education; and employment,” the United States Department of Education said.
Title IX also states people may not intimidate or threaten others who have made a report, testified, or refused to take part in a proceeding under Title IX.
The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights investigates and resolves people’s complaints of sex discrimination. Schools that fail to properly address incidents of gender discrimination or sexual violence may face lawsuits or loss of federal funding.