Education Department’s Shift in Priorities

Introduction to the Issue

By COLLIN BINKLEY, AP Education Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) — Before President Donald Trump’s administration started dismantling the Education Department, the agency served as a powerful enforcer in cases of sexual violence at schools and universities. It brought the weight of the government against schools that mishandled sexual assault complaints involving students.

That work is quickly fading away.

The Decline of Investigations

The department’s Office for Civil Rights was gutted in Trump’s mass layoffs last year, leaving half as many lawyers to investigate complaints of discrimination based on race, sex or disability in schools. Those who remain face a backlog of more than 25,000 cases.

Investigations have dwindled. Before the layoffs last March, the office opened dozens of sexual violence investigations a year. Since then, it’s opened fewer than 10 nationwide, according to internal data obtained by The Associated Press.

Shift in Focus

Yet Trump’s Republican administration has doubled down on sexual discrimination cases of another kind. Trump officials have used Title IX, a 1972 gender equality law, against schools that make accommodations for transgender students and athletes. The Office for Civil Rights has opened nearly 50 such investigations since Trump took office a year ago.

Even before the layoffs, critics said the office was understaffed and moved too slowly. Now, many firms that handle Title IX cases have stopped filing complaints, calling it a dead end.

Impact on Victims and Schools

“It almost feels like you’re up against the void,” said Katie McKay, a lawyer at a New York firm that represents victims.

“It feels like a big question mark right now,” she said. “How are we supposed to hold a school accountable once it has messed up?”

An Education Department spokesperson said the office is working through its caseload, blaming President Joe Biden’s Democratic administration for leaving a backlog and rewriting Title IX rules to protect LGBTQ+ students. Trump officials rolled back those rules.

Students Have Few Other Places to Turn

Students have few other places to turn

The layoffs have slowed work at the Office for Civil Rights across the board, but it has an outsize impact on cases of sexual violence. Students who are mistreated by their schools — including victims and accused students alike — have few other venues to pursue justice.

Many are now left with two options: File a lawsuit or walk away.

Historical Precedent

Historically, the feds have held schools and colleges accountable

Before Trump was elected to his second term, the office had more than 300 pending investigations involving sexual assault, according to a public database. Most of those cases are believed to be sitting idle as investigators prioritize easier complaints, according to staffers who spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of retribution.

The details of past cases underscore the urgency of the work.

Conclusion

The dismantling of the Office for Civil Rights comes as a significant setback for efforts to combat sexual violence in schools. The reduction in investigations and the shift in focus towards other types of cases have left many victims without the support and justice they deserve. As the situation continues to unfold, it remains to be seen how the Education Department will address the backlog of cases and ensure that schools are held accountable for their handling of sexual violence complaints.

FAQs

• Q: What has happened to the Education Department’s Office for Civil Rights under the Trump administration?
  A: The Office for Civil Rights has been gutted, with half as many lawyers to investigate complaints, and a significant backlog of over 25,000 cases.
• Q: How has the number of sexual violence investigations changed?
  A: The office has opened fewer than 10 sexual violence investigations nationwide since the layoffs, compared to dozens per year before.
• Q: What other types of cases is the Office for Civil Rights focusing on?
  A: The office has opened nearly 50 investigations into schools that make accommodations for transgender students and athletes under Title IX.
• Q: What options do students have if they are mistreated by their schools?
  A: Students are largely left with the options to file a lawsuit or walk away, as the Office for Civil Rights is not adequately addressing their complaints.
• Q: How does this impact the progress made in addressing sexual violence on campuses?
  A: The dismantling of the Office for Civil Rights is seen as a significant blow to the progress made in addressing sexual violence, potentially pushing back civil rights progress by more than 50 years.