COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
P.O. BOX 2120
RICHMOND, VIRGINIA 23218-2120
SUPTS. MEMO NO. 146
July 23, 2004
INFORMATIONAL
|
TO: |
Division
Superintendents |
|
FROM: |
Jo Lynne
DeMary Superintendent
of Public Instruction |
|
SUBJECT: |
Technical Assistance for Title IX Coordinators -- Ensuring Equal Access to Quality Education |
One requirement of Title IX of the Education Amendments of
1972, the federal law that prohibits sex discrimination in education for all
institutions, is that every state and local education agency appoint a Title IX
designee responsible for the implementation of this law and receive training to
help them meet their obligations. Title
IX also includes student-on-student sexual harassment in schools as a subject
of discrimination complaints.
The Virginia Department of Education, with the assistance
of the U.S. Department of Education District of Columbias Office for Civil
Rights, will offer two drive-in informational forums for school divisions
Title IX coordinators as follows:
Monday, August 30, 2004, at the
Sheraton Park South Hotel, located at 9901 Midlothian Turnpike, Richmond,
Virginia
Tuesday, August 31, 2004, at the
Holiday Inn-Wytheville, located at U.S. 11, I-81 & I-77, 1800 East Main
Street, Wytheville, Virginia
Both forums will begin at 9:45 a.m. and conclude at 3 p.m.
Please complete and return the attached registration form no later than
August 18, 2004. Each local Title IX coordinator is encouraged to
attend one of these forums.
Title IX requires school divisions to have well-published
policies against discrimination, including sexual harassment, and to have
procedures for students and their families to raise and resolve issues
concerning discrimination. The
informational forums will provide an overview of fundamental civil rights
issues, along with expert interpretations of the latest court cases and
administrative rulings. Title IX coordinators will understand why decisions
were handed down and how they impact their everyday challenges. In addition,
Title IX coordinators will receive guidance about sexual harassment, including
criteria, examples, and suggested prevention, investigation, and resolution
procedures.
We look forward to working with Title IX coordinators to
ensure compliance with the requirements and equal access to quality education.
For more information, you may contact Dr. Sandra E. Ruffin (sruffin@mail.vak12ed.edu), director
of federal program monitoring, at (804) 225-2768, or you may contact Horace P.
Webb (hwebb@mail.vak12ed.edu),
monitoring specialist, at (804) 225-2618.
JLD/ser
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