Entry Details

About the Entry

Category: 
All Content > Impact/Investigative > Mid Atlantic

Title of entry: 
The Education Department passes the buck on Title IX — and students pay the price

Issue or Publication date:
12/13/23

Publication name: 
K-12 Dive

Publishing/parent company: 
Industry Dive

View Website home page:
https://www.k12dive.com/

Description of the enterprising work that went into this entry and its significance or impact on readers:

K-12 Dive provides in-depth journalism and insight into the most impactful news and trends shaping K-12 education.

K-12 Dive Senior Reporter Naaz Modan uncovered a pattern in the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights investigation records: School districts consistently brush off their civil rights obligations to protect students involved in sexual assault or harassment cases.

Under Title IX, which protects students against sex discrimination in federally funded education programs, schools have an obligation to safeguard students from hostile environments. The law outlines schools’ responsibilities in investigations, and requires specific training on how to manage Title IX allegations.

But Modan discovered schools brought in local police or other third parties to handle the cases as criminal proceedings, ignoring their own civil rights role in the process. Interviews with Catherine Lhamon, the department’s assistant secretary for civil rights, Title IX lawyers, advocates and student sexual assault survivors explained the long-term impacts of this ongoing problem on students and school climates.

Modan’s article illustrates that perfect journalism moment — solid reporting and innovative storytelling. Modan tracked down former school employees, accessed police records, and combed through hundreds of pages of court documents, school district correspondence and sworn statements. She then wrote the story carrying the experiences of a student — “Camille” — at the center of one of the cases.

News Graphics Developer Julia Himmel worked closely with Modan on the article's modern scrollytelling design format. Modan recommended text for each of the highlighted key quotes and together they paid attention to specific design details including everything from background colors, text size and infographic images to ensure accuracy and maximum readability. Himmel created a timeline, as well as a graphic illustration to help readers understand the scope of the problem.

Sexual assault groups praised the piece, and a key Education Department source told Modan it was “so good and so powerful” and that it documented a long-standing problem that has flown under the radar.

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https://www.k12dive.com/news/title-ix-in-k12-schools-student-harassment-education-department/701814/