OCR Launches Title IX Probe into LAUSD Teacher Policy

The U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights announced a Title IX investigation on Tuesday into the Los Angeles Unified School District, one of the nation's largest school systems serving nearly 500,000 students, over its handling of allegations against teachers accused of sexual misconduct.

The probe focuses on a district policy, stemming from an agreement with United Teachers Los Angeles, that reassigns such teachers to other schools rather than immediately removing them from student-facing roles during investigations. Federal officials contend this approach may violate Title IX, which requires schools receiving federal funding to address sexual harassment and assault promptly to protect students. The investigation will examine cases involving credible accusations of sexual harassment of students, sexual assault, romantic or exploitative relationships with students, creation or use of illegal child imagery, unnecessary physical contact motivated by sexual interest, and failure to report suspected child abuse.

Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Kimberly Richey stated that schools must respond appropriately and in a timely manner to such claims. "The District...