Title IX Changes Brings Reassurance to Community

Changes regarding the process of Title IX, a law that brings protection against gender discrimination within schools, has brought reassurance and clarity to HUHS staff, students, and community members.

Title IX “prohibits sex-based discrimination in federally funded education programs and activities. The law covers sex-based discrimination against students, faculty, and staff,” according to the HUHS website.

Even though it has been around since 1972, Title IX has recently gained attention in schools around the country as the U.S. Department of Education updated the expectations and regulations.

“Discrimination of any kind is unacceptable,” superintendent Jeff Walters said. “Title IX, since 1972, has provided us an expectation in regards to equitable treatment of all as it relates to gender.”

As mentioned on the HUHS website, “It is the District’s policy to protect all students, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.”

Title IX has brought reassurance to staff members within the HUHS district, especially director of student services and school psychologist, Julie Schewe.

“I feel like it's very reassuring to know that HUHS is committed to making sure that all of our staff and students are safe,” Shewe said. “They are committed to putting processes and policies in place that will insure those protections.”

Schewe joined the HUHS staff in July and she is glad there are administrators and staff who are trained and able to treat situations properly. There are a number of new administrators who all received updated training.

“Our staff participates in a significant number of training each year,” Walters said. “With the language changes made to Title IX, it was necessary to include that training.”

The changes in the process have brought a larger focus on protecting each member of the Hartford Community.

“[There was a change] in our processes and within our administrative team just to make sure that we have a process in place,” Schewe said.

These new procedures have brought comfort to staff members like library media specialist Michelle Yu. Yu has two daughters and thanks to the regulations of Title IX, she is not as worried about what could happen to them in college because of these changes to the Title IX regulations.

“I think there should be policies and procedures in place for things like that because I think women have been blamed for being assaulted and raped and harassed,” Yu said.

According to the HUHS website, “HUHS is committed to providing an environment where every student, faculty, and staff feels supported, welcomed and respected.”

“I think [Title IX] really brings some clarity and some reassurance to staff and students and everybody in the community about HUHS,” Shewe said.