📢BREAKING: The Biden admin just released the proposed changes to the 2020 anti-survivor Title IX rule. This is a huge win, & it happened thanks to student organizing!!

Let’s break down the history of the rule, the process of changing it, & what the changes mean for students.🧵 Reminder, the 2020 #TitleIX reg was written with the help of MRAs who wanted to make it easier to get away with sexual violence–such as the National Coalition For Men, who claim laws intended to support survivors are based in “hysteria."

Learn more⬇️

https://twitter.com/knowyourIX/status/1294263931784101894?s=20&t=2TAGwMhAsXHjBaurpGVAdQ

Title IX is turning 50 tomorrow, and the Biden administration still has not rolled back DeVos’ attacks on student survivors’ rights.

Join us to demand #EDActNow and tell the @usedgov why survivors need a new Title IX rule NOW. @usedgov Survivors’ lives, futures, and educations depend on the Biden administration acting NOW to undo DeVos’ anti-survivor Title IX rule. Currently, about a third of survivors are pushed out of school.

Defamation cases are being used to silence survivors from school age and beyond. 23% of student survivors are threatened with a defamation suit by their abuser.

The decision in the Amber Heard and Johnny Depp case will silence survivors, and that was always the goal. Perpetrators of violence have long manipulated systems, often ones meant to protect survivors, to continue their abuse.

What we saw today wasn’t the first time a court has been an avenue for abuse, and it won’t be the last.

Today, on the 49th anniversary of Title IX, ED announced they will begin the process of issuing a proposed Title IX rule. This would alter DeVos’ Title IX rule that continues to harm survivors.

It’s an exciting step, but we have a long road ahead of us:🧵 ED announced they won’t be releasing the proposed rule until May 2022––and then it will go through the same notice and comment period that DeVos’ rule went through.

This means on ED's current timeline we might not have a new rule for years. But survivors can't wait that long.

🧵Flimsy procedural protections harm all students––so we reject the idea that protections for survivors are in tension with fair processes.

That's why KYIX organizer @nesbittsarahe joined the Title IX hearings to share our recs for a fair process. knowyourix.org/issues/fair-pr… Here are 5 main ways that the parties on differing sides of a Title IX investigation actually have many interests that align. The Department should act decisively to protect all students in those arenas.

🧵Thread: It's day 2 of the Title IX listening sessions. Follow along for quotes from survivors and those who support them on the current Title IX regulation, and what they would like to see in the new rule.

Tune into the livestream here: web.cvent.com/event/06428d78… "I didn't feel like a student, I felt like a liability... in my Title IX process, I learned that schools will do anything to protect themselves, not survivors."

DeVos' rule prioritizes schools' bottom lines over survivors' access to education, that's why it has to go #EDActNow

🧵THREAD🧵: Quotes from survivors and those who support them on their experiences with the current Title IX policy, and what they would like to see in the new rule.

Tune into the livestream here: web.cvent.com/event/06428d78… “I had to withdraw from school because advocating for myself as a teenager and having to learn the ins and outs of the law because my rights weren’t being upheld became a full time job”

This morning, we released a report drawing from our survey of over 100 student survivors who reported to their schools.

Our report outlines the alarming backlash survivors are facing when filing formal reports of sexual violence to their schools. Thread:
knowyourix.org/thecostofrepor… We found that 39% of survivors who reported to their schools experienced a substantial disruption in their educations.

These educational interruptions were not from sexual violence alone, but because of violence exacerbated by schools’ harmful responses to reports of violence.

Trump's SCOTUS nominee, Judge Amy Coney Barrett, has a troubling record on Title IX.

Let's break down her record and the impact on students and civil rights. As our co-founder @azbrodsky shared, "Judge Barrett’s ruling turned a sex discrimination statute on its head, using a law meant to prevent and address sexual assault to promote impunity for that very same behavior."

publicjustice.net/understanding-…

🚨BREAKING: Amy Coney Barrett has been announced the nominee for the Supreme Court Justice 8 days after the death of Ruth Bader Ginsburg.This is what you should know: According to the Human Rights Campaign, Judge Barret is an “absolute threat to LGBTQ rights.” hrc.org/news/amy-coney…

ED just released a Q&A on the Title IX rule, and it's bad.

The doc explains how schools should handle "statement evidence." Like we've said before, the rule allows respondents to dodge damming evidence, even if they confessed. Let's dive in ➡️www2.ed.gov/about/offices/… ICYMI, our manager @Sage_Gaea broke down this provision and it's impact in @TIME.

Many folks insisted that we must just be misunderstanding how the rule would handle statement evidence, but the Q&A makes it fairly clear we aren't.
time.com/5879262/devos-…

BREAKING: On the day DeVos' Title IX rule goes into effect, @thenation has revealed that it was drafted with the help of Men's Rights Activists who have a long history of spreading rape myths and harassing women.

Follow along while we dive into the story: thenation.com/article/politi… Betsy DeVos and Acting Assistant Secretary Candice Jackson began working with MRAs in May of 2017. While many are familiar with a meeting DeVos' held with MRAs on Title IX, emails obtained by @thenation show this meeting was a part of a much larger collaboration.

There has been some confusion about what people can do to organizing against the Title IX rule.

Organizing against regulations is new for us too! That's why we wan to break down what we can actually do to fight back against this rule ⬇️

https://twitter.com/knowyourIX/status/1293649295820894208

First, most folks instinct is to demand action from their Members of Congress. But rules, unlike bills, don't get voted on through Congress. From what we know, there is very limited action that Members of Congress can take against a rule––especially in this political landscape.

Yesterday, University of Michigan's President apologized for the school's mishandling of rampant sexual misconduct at the hands of former provost, Martin Philbert.

But apologies mean nothing when they aren't matched with tangible action. A thread: detroitnews.com/story/news/loc… First, let's break down what happened.

Over Philbert's 25 year tenure at UM he frequently engaged in sexual misconduct against university staff and students. UM was aware of his behavior since 2005, but failed to take proactive action that would have prevented further violence.

15 DAYS until the new title IX rule is implemented!! Sign these petitions to urge schools and administrators to create separate procedures for handling student misconduct and title IX cases. North Carolina A&T
change.org/p/chancellor-m…

We've gotten some responses to this claiming this portion of the rule is meant to ensure a "fair" process.

Let's break down what a fair process actually means and why allowing rapists to dodge damming evidence isn't fair...

https://twitter.com/knowyourIX/status/1287847950329303041

First, ignoring evidence like this wouldn't be allowed in court.

Second, fairness doesn't just mean the same standard is applied to both parties. If the standard has WILDLY different outcomes, that isn't fair.

23 DAYS UNTIL DEVOS’ TITLE IX RULE GOES INTO EFFECT
Your school cannot simply reject this rule. Urge your schools to protect students through implementing different policies outside the realm of Title IX. Link in bio for organizing toolkit and petition language. You still have time to petition your school to implement policies without breaking federal Title IX guidelines. Copy and paste our petition template if a petition has yet to be made! If a petition has already been made, keep signing it until your school takes it seriously.

We are a month away from Devos' rule possibly going into effect. In anticipation we will be doing a daily count down with actions you can take to support students survivors. "DeVos' Title IX rule creates loopholes and makes it easier for schools to ignore sexual violence.

Like @NBedera said, "the goal of the new rule is to silence survivors to benefit perpetrators of sexual violence and the universities they attend." time.com/5836774/trump-…"

Today SCOTUS supported the Trump Admin and ruled that employers can deny access to birth control because of their religious beliefs. This leaves THOUSANDS without affordable contraceptive coverage.

nytimes.com/2020/07/08/us/… People who benefit most from guaranteed birth control coverage are young people and people of color. This decision will strip them of health care based on the personal views of someone else.

Worried about losing coverage? Here's some recs:

instyle.com/news/supreme-c…

Betsy DeVos' Title IX rule would allow schools to retroactively claim religious exemptions. And another proposed rule from DeVos would expand what schools are able to qualify for religious exemptions.

Here's why that matters: Currently private institutions that receive federal funding can claim exemptions to Title IX on the basis that it violates their religious faith.

In short, schools can discriminate against students, faculty, and staff while still getting federal $$ if it's because of religion.

Today is a great day to read @ErinBuzuvis' article on why litigation from disciplined students does not undermine Title IX's role in campus sexual assault. digitalcommons.law.wne.edu/cgi/viewconten…