Dive Summary:
- Title IX could become the latest legal headache for Penn State, as the 40-year-old law has become the main frame of reference for how colleges and universities are required to handle reports of sexual assault--and has additionally provided some of the most expensive judgments against universities.
- According to experts, it's unlikely that the Department of Education Office for Civil Rights (OCR) would impose what would effectively be an "academic death penalty" resulting in a research shutdown and crippling of the university--a move that would impact tens of thousands of people not involved in the Jerry Sandusky scandal.
- Still, the OCR faces a tough decision, as a refusal to open a Title IX inquiry as part of its Penn State investigation (a move it hasn't ruled out) could send a message to other colleges that it won't ever use the powers granted to it by Congress under the law.
From the article:
Among the legal questions still swirling around Penn State, one has drawn little attention but could pose a threat to the university: Did the school's handling of sex abuse allegations against assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky violate the federal Title IX gender discrimination law? ...