As the Department of Education gears up for its release of new Title IX rules this month, a new lawsuit accuses Secretary Betsy DeVos and her colleagues of sexism
in their policy decisions
, according to a new report.
The plaintiffs allege t
he department consulted groups that push inflated statistics about false rape allegations.
Karianne Jones, an attorney
for Democracy Forward Foundation, which is representing the plaintiffs in the case, told the Huffington Post, “What you see is that this administration is buying into the sex stereotype that women and girls lie about these types of things, and they’re making policy based on that view.”
The original complaint, issued in January,
challenged the department’s guidance on Title IX policy.
DeVos has said that the old recommendations on Title IX ignore due process. In the new rules, reportedly, students will be allowed to cross-examine their accusers. The department is also changing the definition of sexual assault to be narrower, which will reduce the number of cases that schools will be required to arbitrate.
The judge
had initially dismissed the suit saying that the plaintiffs could not challenge guidance.
The lawsuit was resubmitted Wednesday, however, with Freedom of Information Act reports, which the plaintiffs say provide evidence of the department’s sexism.
Candace Jackson, the acting head of the department’s Office of Civil Rights
, reportedly recommended a book to her staff
that
argued Title IX policy under President Barack Obama allowed women to seek legal action for “awkward sexual experiences.” Jackson also consulted Gordon Finley, a member of a men’s rights group, who called Obama’s Title IX guidance a “war on men.”
Additionally, she asked Families Advocating for Campus Equality, a group of families whose children have been accused of sexual assault, to publish op-eds before DeVos’ speeches.
DeVos publicly met with the men’s rights group, National Coalition for Men, and Families Advocating for Campus Equality.
Department of Education spokeswoman Elizabeth Hill said via email that Secretary DeVos “met with a number of people on this important issue including survivors, falsely accused students, college presidents and university GCs and the message was very clear from all of them—we have to get this right on behalf of students and the current process isn’t serving students well.”
The lawsuit says that the department only met with these groups after advocates for Title IX protections repeatedly asked them to.
