The U.S. Department of Education has proposed new rules that clarify that Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 prohibits school-based discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. Title IX uses the same statutory language, prohibiting...
Education Law
What should schools do when students sexually harass one another?
When kids sexually harass each other, it can create a situation where the victims of the harassment can’t get their education safely. When schools don’t engage in a reasonable intervention, they can sometimes be held responsible for allowing a hostile educational...
Who controls test takers’ private data during remote proctoring?
Automated online proctoring of exams in the U.S. has exploded in popularity during the pandemic. Usage of remote proctors has jumped by 500% in the past two years alone, and over half of American higher education institutions are using them. For the most part,...
Should colleges and universities end legacy admissions altogether?
In response to the “Varsity Blues” scandal, California passed some college admissions reforms that took effect in 2020. One was to require California colleges and universities to disclose what percentage of their student body is admitted as legacy students – students...
Do California students have the right to take a knee at games?
Taking a knee during the national anthem is a way to protest racial inequality and police brutality in the United States. Former 49er Colin Kaepernick took a knee for years during his NFL career, and many, many other professional athletes have followed suit. Rapper...
Where is the line? ‘Creepy behavior’ and actionable harassment
Sexual harassment can be a serious problem in school or at work. Many students and faculty members at UCLA breathed a sigh of relief when a former postdoctoral fellow and lecturer was arrested in early February. The man allegedly emailed an 800-page manifesto and...
Are colleges colluding with each other on financial aid packages?
Tuition at elite colleges and universities has risen faster than inflation in the past few decades, according to the College Board. For example, tuition at Yale this year is $59,950, which doesn’t include room and board. In principle, lower income students often don’t...
I’m visually impaired. Does my college need to help with online classes?
If you’re attending college now, you may already have experienced mandatory online courses. This could be due to the pandemic, or it may be that your college only offers certain courses online and you want to take one. What sort of disability accommodations does your...
What does the FAIR Education Act mean for parents?
Representation matters in school curricula as it does in other parts of life. The 2012 FAIR Education Act is a California law that requires schools to teach about the roles and contributions of various groups, including both men and women, members of ethic and...
Can a school suspend or expel a student without evidence?
No. In California, the use of suspensions and expulsions is limited and requires due process. What are suspension and expulsion, exactly? Suspension is a temporary removal of a student from a class or from school grounds. Your school could suspend you from a class, an...