The White House recently released the Gender Policy Council's National Plan to End Gender-Based Discrimination, a document aiming to address what it calls a "public safety and public health crisis" of gender-based violence in the US. However, the plan's release just before Memorial Day weekend, coupled with minimal publicity, suggests a deliberate attempt to downplay its significance. More importantly, the plan fails to address a critical aspect of this crisis: the sexual abuse of K-12 students by school staff.

Studies reveal a disturbing prevalence of this issue. A 2004 Department of Education study found that approximately 10% of students experience sexual abuse by school employees. Furthermore, research indicates a pattern of "passing the trash," where abusive employees are allowed to move between school districts, continuing their harmful behavior. Complaints of sexual violence in K-12 schools, including rape and attempted rape, have also seen a dramatic increase in recent years, as documented by the Education Department's Office for Civil Rights.

Despite the escalating data, the GPC plan barely mentions schools or Title IX, the federal law prohibiting sexual misconduct in federally funded education programs. The plan's omission of the Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) data on sexual misconduct in K-12 schools further suggests an unwillingness to hold the education system accountable. This stands in stark contrast to the previous administration's actions. Under Secretary Betsy DeVos, the Department of Education took strong measures, including withholding funds from Chicago Public Schools for failing to investigate abuse complaints. DeVos also implemented new Title IX regulations requiring schools to address sexual harassment and assault.

The current administration appears to be reversing this progress. The Department of Education's website no longer features the DeVos-era initiative on addressing sexual abuse. Furthermore, the Biden administration has proposed changes to Title IX regulations that would make it more difficult to hold teachers and staff accountable for sexual misconduct. These actions raise concerns about prioritizing political alliances over student safety. The Defense of Freedom Institute for Policy Studies emphasizes the Department of Education's responsibility to enforce Title IX and protect students. The administration must address this critical issue, holding schools accountable and ensuring the safety of all students, regardless of political considerations.