As explained by the U.S. Department of Education, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (“Title IX”), 20 U.S.C. §1681 et seq., is a Federal civil rights law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in education programs and activities. All public and private elementary and secondary schools, school districts, colleges, and universities receiving any Federal funds must comply with Title IX. Under Title IX, discrimination on the basis of sex can include sexual harassment or sexual violence, such as rape, sexual assault, sexual battery, and sexual coercion. Other actions prohibited by Title IX include the failure to provide equal opportunity in athletics and discrimination based on pregnancy.
In May 2020, the U.S. Department of Education added specific legally binding steps educational institutions must take in response to notice of alleged sexual harassment. The 2020 amendments define sexual harassment to include certain types of unwelcome sexual conduct, sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking.
For additional information on the sexual harassment aspect of the Title IX regulations, refer here.
See also: Sexual harassment
[Last updated in August of 2021 by the Wex Definitions Team]