Tag Archives: Elizabeth Rodgers

Philip Gordon and Elizabeth Rodgers continue their focus on Title IX sexual assault claims

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Title IX requires colleges and universities who receive federal money to stop sexual harassment or violence on their campuses. Under this law, colleges and universities must have policies and procedures in place for students to make complaints and for the institution to address those complaints. The school must thoroughly investigate the complaint, and then inform those students of the outcome. And, students, administrators, teachers and coaches MUST be free from retaliation for making or supporting those complaints.

Philip Gordon of the Gordon Law Group, along with Elizabeth Rodgers of Rodgers, Powers & Schwartz are among the leading attorneys representing individuals who have suffered retaliation for making complaints or insisting that their university comply with Title IX’s requirements. While there remain many facets to Title IX, they focus specifically in sexual assault, sexual harassment and retaliation claims against colleges and universities.

Most recently, one of their clients, Dr. Kimberly Theidon filed a complaint against Harvard University for, among other things, denying her tenure in retaliation for supporting students complaining of Harvard’s failures to support victims of sexual assaults and gender violence on campus. [HuffPost Article] Dr. Theidon acted as an unofficial confidante for victims of sexual assault, and an advocate for Title IX compliance, and her career was ultimately penalized for her show of support.

If you are suffering from sexual violence, harassment or retaliation on campus, Title IX may protect you.

For more information on Title IX and how we might help you, contact us.

This information is not a do-it-yourself guide to resolving employment disputes or handling employment litigation. While some may find this useful for understanding the basic issues and their legal context, it is NOT a substitute for experienced legal counsel and does not provide legal advice.  Please contact the team at Gordon Law Group to discuss your specific case.

Colleges failing to properly investigate sexual assault

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A new study has found that around 40% of colleges have failed to investigate a single incident of sexual assault on their campuses in the last five years.  Furthermore, 51% of colleges admit they have no hotline to report sexual assaults, and 10% have no Title IX coordinator.

These findings come after a survey conducted by Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo, who is focusing on campus sexual assaults after passing legislation earlier in 2014 to confront rape in the military.  To read the full report, click here.

Title IX and the Clery Act require colleges to report, investigate and prevent campus sexual assault, but these figures highlight a systematic failure to act in a significant portion of colleges. In the survey, colleges also showed a tendency to report sexual assault but not investigate it. The investigation process itself also remains highly fraught with many colleges not permitting the involvement of the victim in the case, while others involve a student body to adjudicate, leading to major privacy concerns and potentially discouraging student to report assault if it ends up under peer review.

There remains a significant lack of training and education to teach staff and students about sexual assault. 20% of colleges fail to provide sexual assault training for their staff, 31% fail to provide training for their students and 30% fail to provide training for on-campus security or police.

If you have any questions about sexual assault on campus or Title IX, please contact us today.

All statistics are from July 9, 2014 report issued by United States Senator Claire McCaskill.

Boston Globe interviews Dr. Theidon of Harvard University

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One of Gordon Law Group’s and Rodgers, Powers and Schwartz’s clients, Harvard professor Dr. Kimberly Theidon, was featured in The Boston Globe this morning. The piece is the latest in a slew of articles and interviews about the Professor, who was denied tenure last spring. Theidon will now take a tenured faculty position at Tufts University.

Dr. Theidon has brought Title IX claims against Harvard University, stating that she believes the university discriminated against her because of her gender and for openly supporting victims of sexual assault on campus.

You can read the full article here.

You can also read and watch Philip Gordon and Dr. Theidon’s interviews with the Huffington Post, MSNBC and ABC-Boston.

If you would like to learn more about Title IX, check out our Title IX page, our FAQ page or contact us today.

ABC-Boston’s feature on Title IX

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Philip Gordon and Elizabeth Rodgers are representing Dr. Kimberly Theidon, a professor at Harvard University, in a Title IX case against the school. Theidon was seemingly denied tenure after supporting students who were victims of sexual assault at the university. This follows a wave of cases nationwide involving the mishandling of sexual assault cases by universities and colleges. You can read and watch Theidon’s exclusive interview, featuring Philip and Elizabeth, with ABC-Boston, WCVB,  here.

Philip Gordon and Elizabeth Rodgers interviewed by Huffington Post about Harvard University professor’s denied tenure

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Philip Gordon, together with Elizabeth Rodgers of Rodgers, Powers & Schwartz LLP, is leading part of the Title IX effort against Harvard University. They represent Dr. Kimberly Theidon, an accomplished anthropology professor at Harvard University who has seemingly been denied tenure for supporting students who were victims of sexual assault and critical of Harvard’s approach to their cases.  Click here to read an interview with Theidon, Gordon and Rodgers.

Colleges and universities across the country are facing ever-increasing scrutiny as to how they deal with instances of sexual assault on campus, including Harvard University where students have filed a separate Title IX complaint to the U.S. Department of Education. Title IX protects students against sexual harassment and sexual violence because it denies the student the right to an education free from discrimination. There has been a wave of exposure in the media, including coverage of Theidon’s case which you can read here. You can also read the Huffington Post’s coverage of Harvard’s students’ complaint by clicking here.

Title IX: A brief review

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Title IX

“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”

Title IX is a law passed in 1972 designed to require gender equality in every federally funded educational program. Title IX is perhaps best known for providing equal opportunities in athletics. However, the law has a wide scope and refers to many different areas including:

  • Athletics
  • Learning Environment
  • Access to Higher Education
  • Math and Science
  • Career Education
  • Sexual Harassment
  • Education for Pregnant and Parenting Students
  • Standardized Testing
  • Employment
  • Technology

As a result, any person involved in federally funded education, from students to teachers, is protected by Title IX from any discriminatory, retaliatory or biased factors that may arise in the classroom, on the sports field, or in any other arena.

Philip Gordon and Elizabeth Rodgers have represented clients in a range of Title IX matters and can provide the experience and know-how to implement a law that many schools are not in compliance with or simply do not understand.

For more information on Title IX, visit www.titleix.info or contact us.