The Cheltenham School District is one of 20 public school districts being investigated by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights as part of “a national K-12 initiative to crack down on sexual predators in schools”, according to a July 10 press release.
The investigations are based on districts’ responses to a 2023-24 federal civil rights data collection survey, which “suggest that districts might not be addressing staff on student sexual misconduct appropriately,” the Education Department said in the release. They were announced as part of a broader initiative by the Education Department “to protect students from adult sexual predators in schools,” a related Dear Colleague letter authored by U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon said.
In addition to Cheltenham, the department told POLITICO that it is targeting the following districts: Fredonia-Moccasin Unified School District; Wilsona School District; Tulare City School District; Connecticut Technical Education and Career System; DeKalb County School District; Richmond County School System; Savannah-Chatham County Public School System; Perry County School District; Detroit Public Schools Community District; Taylor School District;Pontiac City School District; Springfield R-Xii School District; Manchester School District; Gloucester Township School District; Marion County School District; Marion County Public Schools; North East Independent School District; Campbell County Public Schools; and Battle Ground Public Schools.
From the press release:
The Trump Administration has observed a troubling and recurring pattern in schools across the nation of credible reports of sexual abuse and harassment by adults in positions of authority going uninvestigated or of suspected offenders being transferred to new schools or roles in the district. When school administrators protect adults accused of assaulting or harassing children from meaningful consequences, enabling them to continue harming kids in another environment, it is referred to as ‘passing the trash.’ To combat this trend, the Trump Administration issued guidance reminding federally funded educational institutions of their legal obligations to safeguard children and appropriately respond to incidents of sexual misconduct under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) and Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (Title IX).
The investigations will determine if the districts have appropriate policies and procedures in place to ensure accurate data collection and reporting of these incidents occurs and if their handling of allegations of sexual harassment, including sexual assault by district employees, complies with federal law.
This guidance reminds federally funded educational institutions of their legal obligations under ESEA and Title IX to protect students from sexual misconduct: schools must respond promptly and appropriately to allegations of sexual harassment, maintain policies that prevent employees who have been credibly accused of sexual assault from being transferred to new schools or into different roles to avoid accountability, and ensure students have equal access to educational opportunities free from sex discrimination.
“To be clear, the district is not aware of any instances where allegations of sexual assault or abuse by district employees have not been properly investigated and handled — for the 2023-2024 school year or any other year,” the Cheltenham School District said in a statement.
Secretary McMahon’s letter is below:
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