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School committee votes to rescind locally adopted policy tied to new Title IX regulations after federal court rulings
Summary
The committee voted to strike policy 12‑62a (Title IX policy and grievance procedures) that had been drafted to mirror recently issued federal Title IX rules after legal counsel described those new federal regulations as having been struck down by the courts; the committee said the district will rely on the pre‑existing policy instead.
The South Kingstown School Committee voted to rescind its locally adopted policy numbered 12‑62a, titled “Title 9 policy and grievance procedures,” after legal counsel explained that new federal Title IX regulations recently promulgated under the prior administration were invalidated by federal courts.
Legal counsel (identified in the meeting transcript as Michael) told the committee the district previously had two policies on file: an older policy that remained in effect for incidents occurring before Aug. 1 (the earlier regulatory regime) and a newer policy that the district adopted to align with federal rule changes. Counsel explained that federal courts have since enjoined or struck down the new regulations, and the committee should therefore remove the later policy and continue to rely on the existing (pre‑Aug. 1) procedures.
A committee member moved to rescind policy 12‑62a. The motion was seconded and passed on a voice vote.
Why it matters: Rescinding the newer policy returns the district to its prior grievance‑procedure framework and avoids relying on federal procedures that courts have found invalid. The committee’s action is administrative — it affects how the district processes discrimination and harassment complaints but does not itself change underlying law.
What was said: Legal counsel summarized the basis for the change: the new federal rule was “unconstitutional” in recent court decisions, leaving the district’s prior policy as the prevailing internal rule. The committee’s transcript does not include the full text of the policies or a legal memo; those records are maintained in district policy files.
Next steps: The older policy will remain the district’s grievance procedure; staff or counsel may produce revised policy language if and when a stable federal regulatory framework emerges.
