Question: I saw that the U.S. Department of Education is changing Title IX to include sexual orientation and gender identity. Do the changes include private schools?
Answer: Proposed changes to Title IX have been released by the U.S. Department of Education. However, they are only proposed. Schools can currently comment on them before they become official.
The proposed changes to Title IX attempt to expand the definition of sex-based discrimination to cover sexual orientation and gender identity.
The regulations do not require preferred bathrooms or pronouns to be used. Nor do the changes address the highly controversial transgender athlete debate.
Regardless, religious private schools are automatically exempt from Title IX to the extent that compliance would not be consistent with the religious tenets of the sponsoring religious organization.
Title IX does not override state laws, but it does allow the federal government the power to remove funding to a school that violates Title IX. If your school does not receive Federal Financial Assistance, your school would not be affected.
The new non-discrimination language has been deployed separately by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in its Free and Reduced Price Lunch Program. Those changes did not have to use the rule making process and are already operative. Learn more here.
WCRIS will strive to provide our schools guidance during these turbulent times. Look to Current Events for updates.
