School Sex Complaints To Federal Agency Rise And Languish

HOUSTON (AP) — Federal guidelines for how schools should respond to student-on-student sex assault allegations triggered a conservative backlash — and waves of complaints against elementary and secondary schools. But they didn't lead to widespread reforms.

Short-staffed, underfunded and under fire, the U.S. Education Department's Office for Civil Rights became a victim of its own success as it struggled to investigate the increase in complaints and hold school districts accountable. An Associated Press analysis of the office's records found only about one in 10 sexual violence complaints against elementary and secondary schools led to improvements.

Many also worry the Trump administration will not support the department's focus on combatting sex assault in schools. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos' private foundation is helping fund a lawsuit aimed at dismantling the 2011 school sex assault guidance.

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