Expecting and Parenting Youth

The Office for Civil Rights (OCR) in the U.S. Department of Education (ED) is responsible for enforcing laws prohibiting discrimination in federally assisted educational programs and activities. These laws include Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (Title IX), which prohibits discrimination based on sex in education programs or activities. All public and private educational institutions that receive any federal financial assistance (“schools”) must comply with this law. (Note, however, that an educational institution that is controlled by a religious organization is exempt from Title IX when the law’s requirements would conflict with the organization’s religious tenets.1) Title IX protects students in all of the academic, educational, extracurricular, athletic, and other programs or activities of schools. This includes prohibiting discrimination against pregnant and parenting students.

President Obama has set the ambitious goal that by 2020 the United States will lead the world in the proportion of persons who graduate from college.2 In order to achieve this goal, we must support every student in completing high school, so he or she is ready for college or a career. To this end, it is imperative that we all work to ensure that pregnant and parenting students are not discriminated against as they strive to stay in school. With our help, young parents can graduate from high school ready for further success, instead of dropping out of school as a result of practices that make it difficult for them to succeed. OCR is committed to helping achieve this goal.

Pregnancy discrimination is sex discrimination and it is against the law. Advocating for fair policies that eliminate sex discrimination should be a priority for anyone who cares about school equity and ensuring access to a quality education for all students. Below we provide a number of resources and tools to help advocates organize in their community.

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