U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona today issued the following statement in recognition of the 49th anniversary of the Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, commonly known as “Title IX.”
“[June 23, 2021] marks 49 years since the passage of Title IX, the strongest tool we have to protect every student’s right to equal access to educational opportunities free from sex discrimination. Because of this landmark rule, our nation has made important progress toward realizing our self-concept as a land of opportunity for all—from increasing equality in science, technology, engineering and math education; to enabling and encouraging more women and girls to participate in sports; to ensuring fairer funding in athletic programs; to protecting students from sex discrimination, including sexual violence. Amid this progress, we recognize there is still more to do, when we know that students still experience harassment, exclusion from school activities, and other forms of discrimination that stand in the way of them reaching their full potential and their dreams. I’m proud of the actions the Biden-Harris Administration has taken so far in ensuring that Title IX protects the civil rights of all students, including LGBTQ+ students, in our schools and on college campuses. As Secretary of Education, I am committed to ensuring Title IX works for all students and provides equal access to opportunities that will enrich students’ educational experiences and their futures.”
Reflecting on this statement from Secretary Cardona, SWE‘s Executive Director and CEO, Karen Horting, expressed her feelings about what Title IX has meant to many of SWE’s members. “SWE members are among the many who have celebrated Title IX’s anniversary this week and what it has done for women and girls. They know how important it is to feel safe in educational environments and to have the same educational opportunities as their male peers. While circumstances have certainly improved since Title IX was first enacted, there is still much work to be done, and SWE and its members stand ready to work with allies and policymakers to ensure that girls and women are empowered to have or seek opportunity, safety and appropriate recourse at every stage of their educational pursuits.”
In observance of Title IX’s 49th anniversary, the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights issued a Dear Educator Letter and, in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division, a new fact sheet: Confronting Anti-LGBTQI+ Harassment in Schools: A Resource for Students and Families.
The Department of Education’s Dear Educator Letter is available here.
The Department of Education and the Department of Justice’s fact sheet, Confronting Anti-LGBTQI+ Harassment in Schools: A Resource for Students and Families, is available here.
Related content:
- Final Title IX Rule Continues to Concern Advocates
- Podcast: SWE Celebrates Pride Month: Experiences of Nonbinary Students in Engineering
- Coding Bootcamp Scholarships for LGBTQ+ Students
- Words of Wisdom for the Next Generation of LGBTQ+ Engineers
