Northwestern University restores its federal funding, transgender youth report concerning mental health statistics, and the Department of Justice (DOJ) rewrites civil rights law.
Higher Education
Northwestern University reaches agreement to restore federal funds.
Northwestern University settled its discrimination investigation with the Trump Administration for $75 million, resulting in the reinstatement of its federal funding. The school was one of the 60 colleges that the Department of Education (DOE) accused of ignoring its obligations to protect Jewish students during protests against the war in Gaza. Per the agreement, Northwestern will pay the $75 million from now throughout 2028 and will “maintain clear policies and procedures relating to demonstrations, protests, displays and other expressive activities, as well as implement mandatory antisemitism training for all students, faculty, and staff,” according to the DOJ.
K-12
Fewer than half of transgender youth report their pronouns being used.
Recently released data from The Trevor Project shows that fewer than half of nonbinary people ages 13-24 report that “most or all” of people in their lives use their pronouns. Young people who do report others respecting their pronouns showed a 31% less chance of suicide attempts in the past year compared to those who said their pronouns were regularly ignored. The findings are especially relevant as the Trump administration fights to eliminate gender-neutral facilities, transgender participation in athletics, and restrict privacy laws related to transgender and nonbinary students.
Michigan athletic director put on leave after expressing empathy for a transgender athlete.
Days after a parent made a Title IX complaint about a transgender athlete participating in a school’s volleyball team, Monroe Public Schools placed its athletic director (AD) on administrative leave after he participated in an interview responding to the situation. “My heart goes to (the student)…just having that much negative eyeball on you and rhetoric is incredible,” the AD said. School district officials announced that it would open a Title IX investigation as a response to the parent’s complaint and that official statements can only be made through the Office of the Superintendent or Board President.
DEI
The Department of Justice (DOJ) rewrites 50 years of anti-discrimination law.
The DOJ has rewritten a provision of civil rights law eliminating “disparate impact” as an indicator of discrimination, therefore no longer allowing statistical disparities to be used as proof of discrimination. For more than 50 years, disparate impact liability allowed courts and civil rights enforcement agencies to use statistical evidence, such as unequal outcomes among different racial groups, as evidence that discrimination, even if unintentional, occurred. Now, only cases showing proof of explicit, deliberate discrimination are subject to liability. As a result of the change, any educational institutions receiving federal funding will no longer be held liable for policies that create unequal results for varying racial groups. Critics argue that the DOJ’s latest decision makes it more difficult to fight systemic discrimination.
Legal Developments
A group of faculty and students at Alabama public colleges appealed a ruling to maintain the state’s law prohibiting colleges and k-12 schools from sponsoring diversity, equity, and inclusion programs and from having DEI-related offices. In the lawsuit, the plaintiffs argued the 2024 law violates their free speech rights and lacks clarity on what is prohibited. The law has forbidden public schools from offering any DEI-focused programming since October 2024.
How We Can Help
As education professionals stay informed of all federal updates and prepare for their impact, TIXC can help keep your schools compliant. For general up-to-date information and how it affects you and your institution, join us for TIXC Thursdays on the first Thursday of every month. For more information about our consulting services, including advising, hearing adjudication, and investigation, contact us at info@titleixconsult.com.