50th Anniversary of Title IX - aka - Patsy Takemoto Mink Equal Opportunity in Education Act
June 01, 2022
Patsy Takemoto Mink was a third-generation Japanese American who grew up in the cane fields of Maui. After applying to a dozen medical schools, she was denied because she was a woman. Patsy then enrolled in Law School; she was one of only two women in her class.
Law firms wouldn’t hire her. Patsy was turned down because she was a woman and a mother. So, she opened her own practice and entered politics - becoming the Nation’s first woman of color in Congress. During that time, Patsy co-authored Title IX which was enacted into law on June 23, 1972. Title IX stated that “no person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.”
On May 19, 2020, the United States Department of Education issued final regulations under Title IX Final Rule, 85 Fed. Reg. 30026 ("Final Rule"), that specify how institutions of higher education must respond to allegations of sexual harassment in Educational Programs and Activities consistent with Title IX's prohibition against sex discrimination. The regulations require schools to respond promptly and supportively to persons alleged to be victimized by sexual harassment, resolve allegations promptly and equitably under a predictable, fair grievance process that provides due process protections for alleged victims and alleged perpetrators and effectively implement remedies for victims.