U.S. Rep. Ryan Costello (R-PA) led a bipartisan congressional call on Friday for ongoing support for provisions of Title IX that will help provide the guidance and training to protect children from sexual assault and harassment in schools.
Costello marked the 45th anniversary of the federal law, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, by leading 55 members of Congress in a letter to Education Secretary Betsy DeVos that calls for the Department of Education to make Title IX enforcement, technical assistance and guidance a priority for all schools that receive federal assistance.
“Our schools must be prepared to protect students from sexual assault and violence, which is why maintaining current guidance to make sure schools know their responsibilities and commit to them is so important,” Costello said. “The lasting consequences for victims of sexual assault can be wide-ranging, which is just one of the reasons why we must ensure schools support completing training and education to provide an environment safe from sexual violence.”
The letter, which Costello coauthored with U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-MI), specifically calls on DeVos to prioritize Title IX guidance issued in 2011 that focuses on curbing sexual violence and harassment at K-12 schools.
“All children deserve a learning environment in K-12 schools that is free from sexual violence and harassment,” the letter states. “While sexual violence and harassment has received great attention at the collegiate level, we know that most of the behavior we see on our college campuses didn’t begin there. Many of the attitudes and behaviors begin much earlier, and if addressed early might prevent more serious incidents of rape and sexual assault.”
The letter continued, “Sexual harassment and assault, including cyber bullying that often accompanies assaults, can have a profound effect on victims, forcing many to drop out of school and in some of the most devastating instances drive a student to take her or his own life.”
More than one in five girls age 14 to 18 reported being kissed or touched without their consent; 68 percent of them found it difficult to concentrate as a result, and 30 percent missed school because they felt unsafe, the National Women’s Law Center reports.
The 2011 Title IX guidance document provides clear guidelines to schools on how to respond to reported incidents of sexual violence and harassment, the letter said. “By providing clarity to schools on how to respond, the guidance has driven a more thorough and fair process for all involved.”
Additionally, Costello and Dingell called on DeVos to provide targeted technical assistance to ensure that Title IX coordinators have adequate training and education.
“Having a knowledgeable and well-trained faculty is essential to ensuring our K-12 schools are free from sexual harassment and violence, and we hope the Department will continue to provide this support,” the letter states.