The U.S. District Court in the Eastern District of Kentucky recently issued a decision vacating the Biden Administration’s Title IX regulations nationwide. The regulations, which went into effect on August 1, 2024, clarified and expanded vital protections for students across the country, including for pregnant and postpartum students who need modifications so they can learn while caring for their pregnancies.
The following is a statement from Samantha Hunt, Equal Justice Works Fellow at A Better Balance:
“Today’s decision represents another dangerous attack on vulnerable students across the country. The overbroad, nationwide ruling strikes down regulations from the Department of Education clarifying Title IX’s protections, and the ruling will have an immediate detrimental impact on all students, including pregnant and parenting students. Now, pregnant and postpartum students will have to fight harder to access the modest modifications they need to continue learning while caring for their health, such as the ability to reschedule exams they missed while recovering from childbirth and access to remote learning if they are placed on bedrest for their pregnancies.
Students who are concerned should know they still have rights under Title IX. A Better Balance calls on the federal government to continue defending the rights of pregnant and parenting students, and we will continue fighting for the right of all students to access their education while maintaining their health.”
A Better Balance’s free and confidential legal helpline is available to support pregnant and postpartum students with questions about their rights.
