“This is the first time in American history that a Vice President has ever had make a tie-breaking vote to confirm a Cabinet nominee, showing just how weak DeVos’ position really is,” said Eleanor Smeal, president of the Feminist Majority Foundation. “Every single Senator who voted “Yes” is personally responsible for the deciding vote, and those of us concerned with equity in education will not soon forget it.”
Senate Holds Confirmation Hearing for Betsy Devos
Betsy DeVos’ Senate confirmation hearing to serve as secretary of the Department of Education (ED) was held Tuesday evening, as DeVos was questioned on issues ranging from guns in schools to the privatization of public education.
University of Minnesota Football Team Ends Boycott after Rape Details Released
Their decision to play in the Holiday Bowl Game came after the University’s Office of Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action released an 80-page report on Friday detailing the gang rape of a female student on September 2.
Idaho Elementary School Found Non-Compliant with Title IX Due to Sex-Segregated Classrooms
Last week the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) in the US Department of Education (ED) determined that Idaho’s Middleton School District was in violation of Title IX for segregating elementary school students into all-girl and all-boy classrooms.
Betsy DeVos: An Ominous Choice for Secretary of Education
Billionaire philanthropist and former chairwoman of the Michigan Republican Party, Betsy DeVos, has been nominated by Donald Trump for Secretary of Education.
Supreme Court Will Hear Case of Transgender Student Barred from School Restroom
The Supreme Court announced last week that it will hear the case of Gavin Grimm, a 17-year-old transgender student who was barred from using the boys’ restroom at his Virginia high school.
BYU Adopts Honor Code Amnesty Clause for Sexual Assault Victims
Brigham Young University announced on Wednesday that it will no longer investigate the student-victims who report sexual assault for breaches of the honor code.
Students Fee Might Be Issued to Cover Costs of University of Maryland Title IX Office
The University of Maryland could potentially begin issuing an annual fee of $34 to their students in order to cover the costs of the University’s struggling Title IX office.
Feminist Majority Foundation Releases Report on Title IX Coordinators
The Feminist Majority Foundation (FMF) released a multi-year report entitled Reinvigorating the Role of Title IX Coordinator: A Requirement and Resource.
October 11th Marks International Day of the Girl
Today we celebrate International Day of the Girl, a 100% youth led movement fighting for social justice for the 1.1 billion girls around the world.
7th Grade Girl Invents Advanced Medical Band-Aid
13 year old Anushka Naikaware from Beaverton, Oregon recently placed in 8th in the international Google Science Fair, a program that challenges teenagers to create scientific and technological inventions.
Obama Administration Issues Title IX Guidance to K-12 Schools
Today the Obama administration released notices to K-12 schools concerning their obligations to prevent and address sexual harassment and assault under Title IX.
Update on American University of Afghanistan Attack
On Wednesday armed militants stormed the grounds housing the American University of Afghanistan in Kabul, killing at least 14 people and wounding more than 35 others during the ten hour long siege.
Attack Underway at American University of Afghanistan
The American University of Afghanistan in Kabul is currently under attack, reportedly by the Taliban.
Stanford’s Ban on Hard Alcohol Sends the Wrong Message About Sexual Assault
This past Monday, Stanford University banned hard alcohol from undergraduate parties and residences in the wake of the national outrage following the Brock Turner sexual assault case.
Obama Administration and States in Contention over Transgender Rights
Last night, a federal judge in Texas blocked the Obama administration from enforcing guidelines that extended protections under Title IX to transgender students in public schools.
Patsy Mink Gender Equity in Education Act Introduced in House and Senate
Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) has introduced the Patsy T. Mink Gender Equity in Education Act (GEEA) in the Senate; a companion bill by the same name was introduced in the House by Congresswoman Louise M. Slaughter (D-NY).
Afghan Rap Singer, Warrior Against Child Marriage, Awarded
Nineteen year old Afghan rap singer, Sonita Alizadeh, known for protesting child marriage through her songs, was recently depicted in a documentary entitled Sonita, which just won the 2016 World Cinema Documentary Audience Award.
Report Finds 3 of the Largest School Districts Hire More Security Officers than School Counselors
A new report finds that three of the five largest school districts in the country have more security officers on payroll than school counselors. In each of these districts, students of color make up the majority of the student body.
Affirmative Action Returns to SCOTUS
For the second time in three years, the Supreme Court heard arguments in Fisher v. University of Texas, the case that threatens to destroy affirmative action.
