The U.S. Department of Education rescinded parts of Title IX resolution agreements connected to LGBTQ+ inclusion following Title IX investigations under prior administrations. The change, implemented through the Office for Civil Rights, targets agreements that had been used to advance protections for LGBTQ+ students, including preferred pronoun use and bathroom access. In its statement, the department argued that previous administrations interpreted Title IX beyond its “plain meaning,” characterizing the prior agreements as lacking legal foundation. The rescinded actions include requirements tied to specific districts and a college. Campuses—especially those that previously entered into OCR settlements to strengthen compliance—will need to reassess current practices and documentation to align with the department’s revised interpretation. The move further increases uncertainty for student services offices and student conduct teams handling cases that intersect with gender identity and sex discrimination determinations under Title IX.
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