WASHINGTON – In an overhaul to Title IX, the Department of Education proposed new regulations for schools dealing with allegations of sexual assault and harassment.
The draft rules narrow the definition of sexual harassment and bolster the rights of accused students.
Victims’ rights groups believe that the rules discourage students from reporting harassment and assault, and they make it easier for allegations to go ignored.
New York 23rd-District Congressional Representative Tom Reed said he understands that a balance has to be in place, but victims should be put first.
“For too long, the rights of the accused have been given more weight than those of the victims,” said Reed. “I stand on the side of the victims as we go through this process.”
Some higher education leaders see these as welcome updates. They believed that Obama-era guidelines were too broad.
