If you’ve been a victim of or witnessed discriminatory behavior at your South Carolina school, you have the right to file a Title IX complaint to remedy the offending behavior.
What is Title IX?
Title IX was passed in 1972. Its purpose was to eliminate gender discrimination in the educational system. The law has so far been interpreted on a broad level in the court system. It is used to help stop discrimination in sports, extracurricular activities, academics, admissions, and sexual harassment or sexual violence at schools that receive federal funding.
Who Is Eligible to File a Title IX Complaint?
Anyone who has seen evidence of sexual-based discrimination against someone else or a group of people at a school or other type of educational school that receives federal funding. You don’t have to be a victim yourself to file a complaint.
When Must You File?
In general, a Title IX complaint must be filed within 180 days from the discrimination date. This period may be extended if you have a good reason.
If you have filed an internal grievance according to the educational institute’s existing process, you will have 60 days after the last act by the offending school to file your complaint.
What Do I Include in My Title IX Complaint?
There must be enough information for an investigator to understand what has happened and the harm the discrimination caused.
Your complaint needs to describe what discrimination happened, who the victim of the discrimination was, when and where it happened, and who should be contacted for more information.
If you are filing a complaint, you need to include your contact information as well as the contact information for the school that committed the offense. While you are providing personal information, the Office of Civil Rights will keep this information confidential.
How Do I File?
You can start the procedure by following the grievance procedures at the educational institution where the offense took place. This may be a faster way to solve the issue, but not always.
To formally file a Title IX complaint in South Carolina, you can submit the form online, by email, or by regular mail. The Office of Civil Rights has forms on their website you can use.
The Office of Civil Rights will then decide if more information is needed. If it is, they will contact you and ask for additional information. It is up to the Office of Civil Rights to handle it from here, and the investigation will begin.
Do I Need A South Carolina Attorney?
If you feel your Title IX rights have been violated, you should contact the Title IX attorneys at the Greenville, South Carolina law firm of Bannister, Wyatt & Stalvey, LLC to discuss your individual case, and get advice as to what your next steps should be to protect your rights under the law. Contact us today!
