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Feds open investigation into LAUSD sexual misconduct policy
The Trump administration has announced a Title IX investigation into LAUSD.
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Genaro Molina
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Getty Images
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Topline:
The U.S. Department of Education is investigating how the Los Angeles Unified School District responds to educators accused of sexual misconduct with students.
Why now: The department accuses the district of maintaining a policy that “automatically” reassigns teachers to other schools when they are accused of sexual misconduct with students and cites a 2024 agreement with the teacher’s union.
The district’s policy: A Los Angeles Unified spokesperson wrote in a statement that it’s “not true” that staff being investigated for sexual misconduct are reassigned to other school sites. “‘Reassignment’ typically means an employee is directed to remain at home and away from students and schools during an investigation,” the spokesperson wrote.
LAUSD protocol related to employee misconduct says administrators must remove accused employees from their classroom or worksite whenever there is a risk to the safety of students or staff. The 110-page document also lists several other requirements for allegations related to sexual misconduct, including contacting law enforcement and the agencies that license teachers.
What's next: The Department’s Office for Civil Rights is investigating whether the district’s policy violates Title IX, a law that prohibits sex-based discrimination in federally funded education programs. The Trump administration has also recently targeted LAUSD's desegregation policy and transgender student protections.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
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