*Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos on Thursday announced that the Trump administration is rolling back sexual assault guidelines issued by former President Barack Obama’s administration.
“The system established by the prior administration has failed too many students,” DeVos said during a speech at George Mason University in Arlington, Virginia. “That’s why we must do better, because the current approach isn’t working.”
DeVos didn’t announce any new policies that would be put in place to curb sexual assault on campuses once the previous guidelines are removed. She would only say, “Our interest is in exploring all alternatives that would help schools meet their Title IX obligations and protect all students. We welcome input and look forward to hearing more ideas.”
In 2011, the Obama administration told colleges and universities that they have an obligation under Title IX to combat sexual harassment and sexual assault on campus. If colleges and universities did not meet that obligation, the Obama administration threatened to pull their federal funding.
“If a school knows or reasonably should know about student-on-student harassment that creates a hostile environment, Title IX requires the school to take immediate action to eliminate the harassment, prevent its recurrence and address its effects,” the Obama administration told colleges and universities in a letter.
Former Vice President Joe Biden made campus sexual assault a pillar of his final years in the White House, speaking out in solidarity with victims of campus sexual assault as part of the It’s On Us campaign.
Needless to say, the hashtag #StopBetsy has been trending all day.
BREAKING: @BetsyDeVosED just made campuses safer for rapists.
SUPPORT SURVIVORS.#StopBetsy#DefendTitleIXhttps://t.co/2c9HaKii4m
— Women’s March (@womensmarch) September 7, 2017
Who exactly are you trying to protect @BetsyDeVosED? Call the Department of Education today, let them know how you feel. #StopBetsy pic.twitter.com/vLF6H3CI7Q
— Finnick O? (@Finnick_Resists) September 7, 2017
DeVos is trying to turn “locker room banter” into policy by protecting student rapists. That’s who they care about, not Dreamers. #StopBetsy
— Kaivan Shroff (@KaivanShroff) September 7, 2017
I can’t begin to articulate how craven and evil this is on so many levels. #StopBetsy https://t.co/K0ThyvP1sI
— Charles Clymer?️? (@cmclymer) September 7, 2017
Leftists are tweeting #StopBetsy because she wants men to be innocent until proven guilty. I guess liberals don’t believe in due process.
— Makada ?? (@_Makada_) September 7, 2017
Besty DeVos is discussing survivors &”wrongly accused” as if they’re equal parties. 2-10 percent of reported rapes are false #StopBetsy
— Alanna Vagianos (@lannadelgrey) September 7, 2017
Our statement on today’s attack on the Title IX sexual assault guidance: https://t.co/LrQjfvBTbg #StopBetsy #INeedIX pic.twitter.com/J73z3lHdCP
— NWLC (@nwlc) September 7, 2017
Predictable an Administration led by a known sexual assailant would kill campus sexual assault guidelines #StopBetsyhttps://t.co/BQZhQ2kn5B
— Jonathan Riley (@JonRiley7) September 7, 2017
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