SACRAMENTO — A coalition of 19 state attorneys general is urging the federal government to end its proposal to alter Title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972 (Title IX), arguing that the proposed change would harm the law's protection of students from anti-discrimination, sexual harassment and violence.
In a letter to the U.S. Department of Education the coalition argues the new proposal is "inconsistent with Title IX" and shows an "inappropriate exercise of the Department's rule making authority."
“Students deserve to feel safe while pursuing their education, yet the Department of Education’s proposed rule would make it easier to get away with sexual harassment and violence on campus,” California Attorney General Xavier Becerra, who is among the attorney generals leading the coalition, said in a statement.
“As the #MeToo movement continues to shed light on the work that still needs to be done to combat sexual harassment and violence, we must work together to make anti-discrimination protections stronger, not roll them back. That’s why our coalition is calling on Secretary Betsy DeVos to recall this regressive policy that would weaken protections under Title IX.”
The coalition also states the department is "withholding records" such as technical studies and the data it used to draft the proposed rule as well as public comments submitted on its website relating to the proposed change, according to Becerra's office.