The U.S. Department of Education, in conjunction with the Department of Justice, this week announced the creation of the "Title IX Special Investigations Team (SIT), in response to what a press release stated was a "staggering volume" of Title IX complaints.
SIT will be tasked with ensuring "timely, consistent resolutions to protect students, and especially female athletes, from the pernicious effects of gender ideology in school programs and activities."
The press release stated that the "Title IX SIT will streamline Title IX investigations by creating a specialized team of investigators from across ED and DOJ offices. The establishment of the Title IX SIT will allow personnel to apply a rapid resolution investigation process to the increasing volume of Title IX cases and also enable ED and DOJ to work together to conduct investigations that are fully prepared for ultimate DOJ enforcement."
“Protecting women and women’s sports is a key priority for this Department of Justice,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “This collaborative effort with the Department of Education will enable our attorneys to take comprehensive action when women’s sports or spaces are threatened and use the full power of the law to remedy any violation of women’s civil rights.”
The SIT team will include:
- ED Office for Civil Rights investigators and attorneys
- DOJ Civil Rights Division attorneys
- ED Office of General Counsel attorneys
- ED Student Privacy Policy Office staff and an FSA Enforcement investigator
“Today’s establishment of the Title IX SIT will benefit women and girls across this nation who have been subjected to discrimination and indignity in their educational activities,” said secretary of Education Linda McMahon.
In a statement to NBC News, a spokesperson for GLAAD described the creation of the Title IX SIT team as a “baseless plan with the potential to waste untold taxpayer resources to pursue an unhinged agenda of animus.”
“Targeting a handful of athletes does nothing to protect women and the girls,” the GLAAD spokesperson continued. “In fact, these bans endanger all girls as they risk invasive genital exams and other expensive ‘verification.’”
