Local reaction to possible Title IX reform

The Trump administration announced Thursday that they will replace the part of Title IX that deals with combating sexual harassment on college campuses.

The focus will be on an Obama-era schools directive on sexual assault to balance the rights of victims and the accused, that according to Education Secretary Betsy DeVos.

The Obama guidance pushed for school districts, college and university leaders to combat sexual harassment under Title IX, a law prohibiting sex discrimination.

Following the news, local four-year institutions like Delaware State University are responding.

Candy Young, Director of Title IX at DSU, says she feels the most important part of the initiative is education on sexual assault and to lose that would be a step backwards.

"There's such a strong education component that comes with Title IX that I would hate for it to be lost over the victim has more rights than the respondent has.  So I would hate for the education component to be lost because it is so needed, it is so important."

Young went on to say the directors of Title IX throughout the state meet monthly to make sure they are doing the right things and following good methods to make sure the process is fair to both sides.

DeVos says the move is an attempt to balance the rights of victims and the accused in sexual assault cases.  One of the critical points of this was the threat of funding cuts to schools that failed to do enough to make students safe from sexual harassment, assault and rape.