Title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972 is a federal law that prohibits all schools, not just high schools and colleges but all educational institutions, from discrimination based on sex in any education program or activity. This means that schools cannot treat one sex more favorably than the other in any way, whether it’s in admissions, hiring, pay scale, or whatever.
This is one of those laws that everyone seems to have an opinion on and everyone has at least some knowledge about. Many people believe that Title IX is a huge law imposed on our educational institutions forcing them to treat gender equality as something important, even if it doesn’t have anything to do with education or educational programs. However, that is not the case. You can see into studentdisciplinedefense.com to understand how Title IX makes our education better and more efficient.
Let us now see into different responsibilities Title IX puts on schools and other educational institutions.
1. Actively prevent, respond, and remedy all reports and complaints of Title IX violations
Schools should not hoard reports of Title IX violations. If a student complains about sex discrimination, harassment, violence, or retaliation by any school employee or student at any time or place, the school should investigate the complaint thoroughly and take necessary actions to make sure that such situations never occur again.
Title IX violations may also be reported by parents, relatives, friends, or any other concerned parties. The school must ensure that the reporting party is protected and that the reporting party feels safe in coming forward. The school should then investigate to find out details concerning the incident. It is also the responsibility of the school to ensure that no complaint is left unresponded.
2. Assign a Title IX coordinator to oversee the school’s compliance with the law
The Title IX coordinator is responsible for the implementation and compliance of Title IX. Schools and educational institutions should have a Title IX coordinator to ensure that the school is following all of its Title IX requirements.
There are various duties and responsibilities that a Title IX coordinator has to fulfill. For example, he or she must inspect the school’s education programs and activities to ensure that they do not practice any gender-based discrimination or inequality. He or she should also make sure that the school has taken all necessary actions to prevent discrimination against students, faculty members, and employees on account of sex.
3. Put in place a prompt and impartial process to investigate and resolve complaints of Title IX violations
All complaints of sex discrimination and harassment should be investigated and resolved without delay. Institutions should have a clear procedure for dealing with sex discrimination cases in accordance with Title IX rules.
Title IX coordinators should make sure that every complaint of sex discrimination is handled by a committee that is separate from the person accused of committing the violation. This committee should be trained to handle Title IX cases and should be impartial in its decision-making process.
4. Allow both parties equal opportunity to present their sides of the case with relevant evidence and appropriate witnesses
In the situation of sex discrimination, it is the college’s responsibility to make sure that both parties are given an equal chance to present their side of the story with evidence. The school should not have one-sided investigations where only one side’s version is heard.
In addition, the school should also make sure that the accused student is given a fair chance to defend himself or herself.
5. Encourage students and faculty to report any incidents of sex discrimination, harassment, violence, or retaliation
The school should not discourage students or faculties to report violations but it must take any reports seriously and follow up on the report immediately. Schools should encourage all members of the community, especially students and faculty members, to report incidents of sex discrimination, harassment, and violence so that they have no place in their educational institutions.
Why Should Schools Appoint a Title IX Coordinator?
The school’s Title IX coordinator is the person responsible for taking full responsibility for the school’s compliance with Title IX. This coordinator monitors all programs in educational institutions to make sure that they are following Title IX rules.
The duties and responsibilities of a Title IX coordinator are numerous and can be cumbersome. Having a trained person to take over all of these responsibilities would obviously be helpful to the school.
The coordinator can help set up a system that ensures that students are always treated with respect and dignity. When students and faculty feel that their concerns are not being heard, they may be hesitant to report such problems.
It is common for people to be afraid of speaking out against authority figures. Schools should make sure that their employees, especially the Title IX coordinator, act in accordance with the law so that students will never feel intimidated to report any violations of Title IX.
Students and faculty alike must feel comfortable to report incidents of sex discrimination so that they can be dealt with immediately and effectively. Title IX coordinators should regularly train students, faculty, and staff on how to report sex discrimination, violence, and harassment and how to handle such reports properly.
They should also make sure that students who report such problems are protected against retaliation in the form of bullying or threats. Therefore, it is clear that having a Title IX coordinator would be an advantage for any school or educational institution.
Conclusion
Title IX is a federal law that protects all students against sex-based discrimination. While it doesn’t force schools to treat male and female students equally, it does require them to provide equal opportunities to both sexes in education programs. This law also gives protection to victims of sex discrimination by requiring them to take necessary actions against perpetrators.
If you need more information about Title IX, you can get it from the Internet or from any Title IX coordinator working at your school.