What is Title IX?
Title IX is a federal civil rights law passed as part of the Education Amendments of 1972 (Title IX), which prohibits sex-based discrimination — including sexual orientation and gender identity — in any school or other education program that receives funding from the federal government. Originally adopted to address inequalities of girls and women in programs and activities such as athletics, today it provides protection against sexual harassment, sexual violence, bullying, pregnancy and parenting discrimination, and gender-based stereotyping and harassment.
Current Title IX regulations, issued by the Secretary of Education, took effect on August 1, 2024. This policy amends the regulations implementing Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (Title IX) and further amends the Title IX regulations put into law in 2020. The final regulations specify how recipients of Federal financial assistance covered by Title IX, including elementary and secondary schools, must respond to allegations of sex-based discrimination and sex-based harassment, including sexual harassment, consistent with Title IX’s prohibition against sex discrimination. The current regulations are intended to expand the scope of Title IX protections and grievance process beyond only allegations of sexual harassment to include sex-based discrimination and sex-based harassment, which now includes discrimination or harassment based upon gender identity and sexual orientation. They now may extend conduct beyond the school property. Finally, the revised regulations increase the District’s obligations to students and employees based on pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions and place additional responsibility on the District when allegations involve students with disabilities.
It is the policy of the Blackstone Valley Vocational Regional School District (the “District”), in accordance with Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, as amended, not to discriminate on the basis of sex, which includes sexual orientation, gender identity, sex stereotypes, sex characteristics, pregnancy or pregnancy-related conditions, and to prohibit sex discrimination in any education program or activity that it operates. The District is committed to maintaining a school environment free of discrimination based on sex. This Policy and Procedures (“Policy”) specifically addresses sex discrimination under Title IX.
Documentation
Filing a Complaint
A formal complaint of sexual harassment may be filed by contacting our Title IX Coordinator by mail, in-person, e-mail, or phone. An employee with actual knowledge of conduct that may violate this policy must report to Kerri Baltramaitis, our Title IX Coordinator, at 508–529–7758 x3412 or kbaltramaitis@valleytech.k12.ma.us.
The Title IX Coordinator may delegate any and all of their responsibilities to another individual on a case-by-case basis. In the event of any such delegation, the actions of the designee shall be deemed to be the actions of our Title IX Coordinator.