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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">WSSSC: see below and at links, clarification that Title IX enforcement extends to discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><o:p> </o:p></b></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Subject:</b> Title IX Notice of Interpretation on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Discrimination
<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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<span class="normaltextrun"><span style="color:black;background:white">Dear MOA Coordinators and State CTE Directors:</span></span><span class="eop"><span style="color:black;background:white"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<span class="normaltextrun"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="normaltextrun"><span style="color:black;background:white">I write to share that today the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights issued
</span></span>a <a href="https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/202106-titleix-noi.pdf">
Notice of Interpretation</a> making clear that the OCR’s enforcement of Title IX encompasses discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
<span class="normaltextrun"><span style="color:black;background:white"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
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<span class="normaltextrun"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p>
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<span class="normaltextrun"><span style="color:black;background:white">This interpretation of Title IX follows the U.S. Supreme Court’s analysis in
</span></span>in <i>Bostock</i> <span class="normaltextrun"><i><span style="color:black;background:white">v. Clayton County
</span></i><span style="color:black;background:white">(2020), which was decided one year ago this week. The Court in
<i>Bostock </i>concluded that</span></span> discrimination against a person based on their sexual orientation or gender identity is inherently a form of discrimination based on sex. OCR’s notice is also consistent with the U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil
Rights Division <a href="https://www.justice.gov/crt/page/file/1383026/download">
memorandum</a> on the interpretation of Title IX issued earlier this year. <o:p>
</o:p></p>
<p class="paragraph" style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;vertical-align:baseline">
<span class="normaltextrun"><span style="color:black;background:white"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="normaltextrun"><span style="color:black;background:white">Today’s Notice of Interpretation continues OCR’s efforts to promote safe and inclusive schools for LGBTQ+ students, as underscored by President Biden’s Executive Orders
on </span></span><a href="https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2021-03-11/pdf/2021-05200.pdf" target="_blank"><span class="normaltextrun"><i><span style="background:white">Guar<span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlt74656236"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlt74656237">anteeing
an Educational Environment Free from Discrimination on the Basis of Sex, Including Sexual Orientation or Gender Identity</span></span></span></i></span><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlt74656236"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlt74656237"></span></span></a><a name="_Hlt74656237"></a><a name="_Hlt74656236"></a><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlt74656237"></span><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlt74656236"></span><span class="normaltextrun"><u><span style="color:#0563C1;background:white"> </span></u><span style="color:black;background:white">and </span></span><a href="https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2021-01-25/pdf/2021-01761.pdf" target="_blank"><span class="normaltextrun"><i><span style="background:white">Preventing
and Combating Discrimination on the Basis of Gender Identity</span></i></span></a><span class="normaltextrun"><i><u><span style="color:#0563C1;background:white"> or Sexual Orientation</span></u></i><span style="color:black;background:white">.
<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
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<span class="normaltextrun"><span style="color:black;background:white"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="paragraph" style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;vertical-align:baseline">
<span class="normaltextrun"><span style="color:#030A13;background:white">Please also see Department’s
<a href="https://www.ed.gov/news/press-releases/us-department-education-confirms-title-ix-protects-students-discrimination-based-sexual-orientation-and-gender-identity">
press release</a>, which includes links to the Notice and <a href="https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/lgbt.html">
resources for LGBTQ+ students</a> available on OCR’s website. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="paragraph" style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;vertical-align:baseline">
<span class="normaltextrun"><span style="color:#030A13;background:white"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="paragraph" style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;vertical-align:baseline">
<span class="normaltextrun"><span style="color:black;background:white">We thank you for your partnership in ensuring that all students have an opportunity to learn and thrive in our nation’s public schools. </span></span><span class="eop"><span style="color:black;background:white"> </span><span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Best,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Maria<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic",sans-serif;color:#222222">Maria Litsakis</span><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic",sans-serif;color:#222222">MOA Attorney<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic",sans-serif;color:#222222">Program Legal Group</span><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic",sans-serif;color:#222222">Office for Civil Rights| U.S. Department of Education<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic",sans-serif;color:black">646-428-3768</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic",sans-serif;color:#222222">| </span><span style="color:black"><a href="mailto:maria.litsakis@ed.gov"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic",sans-serif;color:blue">maria.litsakis@ed.gov</span></a></span><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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