In 2017, Secretary of Education, Betsy Devos, began the process of rolling back years of civil rights protections for students across the country by rescinding guidance on Title IX. 

In response, we made our voices heard by participating in the Notice and Comment process, collecting over 100,000 comments in support of student survivors and enforcement of Title IX that is fair for everyone. Since then, the Department of Education reviewed these comments and revised their proposed changes to Title IX. Now, in the middle of a pandemic, the final rules have been released, and schools had until August 14th to alter their policies–rolling back rights for survivors in their communities.

Now, the Biden administration issued an Executive Order(EO) on March 8th directing the Department of Education to begin the reviewing the Title IX rule promulgated by former Secretary DeVos within 100 days. The EO declared it was the Biden administration’s policy “that all students should be guaranteed an educational environment free from discrimination on the basis of sex, including discrimination in the form of sexual harassment, which encompasses sexual violence, and including discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity.” And further, if after the Secretary reviewed DeVos’ Title IX regulation and found it to be inconsistent with the Administration’s policy, the Secretary “shall consider suspending, revising, or rescinding — or publishing for notice and comment proposed rules suspending, revising, or rescinding” the regulation.

That’s why we are organizing for the Department of Education to take immediate action on Title IX and rescind DeVos’ Title IX rule. But in the interim, you can organize on your campus to ensure that even with the rule in place, your school still puts the best possible policy on the books. Below is our toolkit for organizing for the best policies in light of DeVos’ regulation.

Need more help navigating the Toolkit or organizing in your community? Reach out to us at info@knowyourix.org.