A controversial rule on how schools mustrespond to claims of sexual assault and harassment appears set to take effect Friday after a judge in a multi-state lawsuit refused to halt it.
The rule, one of U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos’ biggest policy shifts, details obligations for K-12 schools, colleges, and universities under Title IX, the federal law that prohibits sex discrimination in education.
In a Wednesday order, District of Columbia Circuit Court Judge Carl John Nichols denied a request by 17 states and Washington, D.C., to pause the rule while he hears arguments over their lawsuit, which seeks to strike it down entirely.
“Although Plaintiffs have raised serious arguments about certain aspects of the Rule, they have not established a likelihood of success on their claims, nor have they established that they are likely to suffer substantial irreparable harm pending further litigation,” Nichols’ order said.
That order follows a Sunday decision by a judge in a separate case, brought by New York City’s and New York state’s education departments. That judge also refused to grant a preliminary injunction of the directive, saying the parties’ arguments were not likely to succeed in a full hearing.
WSJ OPINION Editorial Board February 25, 2021 The Democratic spending bill would put many out of business. Colleges for years have justified charging exorbitant tuition by offering what they claim …