By The Epoch Times | Created at 2026-10-07 12:42:10 | Updated at 2026-10-07 13:31:14
1 hour ago
The U.S. Department of Education (ED) has opened investigations into multiple school districts nationwide over allegations of sexual misconduct by staff members against students.
The department’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) will probe the “districts’ handling of alleged sexual harassment, including sexual assault, by district teachers, administrators, and other school personnel violated Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972,” the ED said in a statement on Tuesday. The investigation is part of a nationwide initiative
announcedby the ED in July that targets sexual predators in K–12 schools.
One of the provisions in Title IX mandates schools with knowledge of sexual assault or harassment to quickly respond to it “in a manner that is not deliberatively indifferent,” the ED said.
OCR has launched a direct probe into the New York City Department of Education for “its alleged systemic and disturbing pattern of enabling abuse in schools,” the department said.
Almost 2,000 complaints have been filed under New York state’s Child Victims Act that accuse a school, educator, or staff personnel of engaging in sexual abuse of students, according to the department.
“What is most chilling is that instead of protecting the students to ensure these incidents would never happen again, the schools allegedly allowed the accused to evade punishment and resign. Or, even worse, New York City allegedly let educators named in complaints remain in their job, even after a settlement,” the ED said.
The Epoch Times reached out to the New York City Department of Education for comment but did not receive a response by publication time.
The New York City Department of Education says on its website that it is department policy to maintain an educational environment free from harassment, including sexual harassment and retaliation. The department claims it is in compliance with Title IX, according to its website.
Under the department’s investigative process regarding staff-to-student sexual harassment covered by Title IX, a Title IX Coordinator may initiate a complaint against the accused when they receive a notice of alleged sexual misconduct. A Title IX investigator will look into the matter and is typically required to complete the probe within 165 school days of receiving the complaint.
OCR is also probing several other school districts in states such as California, Georgia, North Carolina, Missouri, Texas, and Virginia over alleged failure to respond, as mandated, to reports of sexual misconduct allegations against staff members, the ED said.
Some of these allegations include a coach groping female athletes, a teacher touching the private parts of elementary school girls, and the grooming of a middle school student by a staff member, the ED said.
These probes are part of a nationwide initiative to crack down on “Pass the Trash” practices, according to the department.
Pass the Trash refers to the practice of allowing a staff member facing sexual misconduct allegations to quietly exit the institution and enabling their transfer to another school.
“Sexual misconduct in schools, especially by the adults entrusted with students’ care, is insidious. Schools have a duty to protect students from sexual harassment in schools and to respond appropriately when sexual misconduct occurs, especially when the predatory behavior is committed by school staff,” Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Kimberly Richey said in the statement.
“Parents and families should be able to send their kids to school without fear that they will be targeted by school staff. By opening these investigations, our message is clear: we will always protect our children so parents should never have to wonder if their kids are safe at school.”
School Abuse and ED Action
According to a September 2026 report from the ED’s OCR, during the 2023–2024 period, public school districts reported a total of around 11,800 incidents of rape or attempted rape and sexual assault other than rape.
Roughly 460 of these incidents “were reported to have been committed by a school staff member, which represented about 4% of the total incidents,” according to the report.
In a July guidance letter to schools receiving federal funding, Secretary of Education Linda McMahon reminded them of their legal obligation to protect students and appropriately respond to sexual misconduct allegations.
She cited a 2003 study that revealed that 9.6 percent of students in grades eight to 11 reported some sort of sexual misconduct involving an educator.
“Through this initiative, we are holding school districts accountable because every child deserves to learn in a safe environment free from sexual abuse and harassment,” McMahon said in the letter.
