The Trump administration announced Friday that it is taking new steps to address sexual misconduct by adults in K-12 schools across the country.
The Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights said it has released updated guidance reminding schools that receive federal funding of their legal responsibility to protect students and respond properly when allegations of sexual abuse or harassment arise.
The office also announced 20 directed investigations into school districts whose responses in the 2023-2024 Civil Rights Data Collection raised concerns about how they may be handling allegations of sexual misconduct involving school employees and students.
According to the department, the action follows several credible reports involving adults in positions of authority who were accused of sexual abuse or harassment. In some cases, the allegations reportedly went uninvestigated. In others, suspected offenders may have been reassigned, transferred, or moved into new roles rather than being removed from contact with students.
Education Secretary Linda McMahon said schools have a basic duty to keep children safe and to be honest when misconduct is reported.
“Our schools must protect America’s children,” McMahon said in a statement. “Parents should never have to wonder whether their kids’ school employs and protects sexual predators.”
She added that schools receiving federal funding are required to follow the law, accurately report incidents of sexual misconduct, and take meaningful action to protect students.
McMahon also sent a letter to educational institutions warning that sexual predators often rely on silence, weak oversight, and institutional reluctance to act. She described that kind of silence as both a moral failure and a possible violation of federal law.
The letter was especially critical of practices that allow accused employees to avoid investigation or discipline. McMahon argued that union protections, internal procedures, or collective bargaining agreements cannot be allowed to override the safety of students.
The department said it plans to use all available federal authority to investigate districts and enforce existing laws. Schools that fail to respond appropriately could risk losing certain forms of federal assistance.
The broader issue has drawn attention for years. Critics have long warned about a practice commonly called “passing the trash,” in which an employee accused of misconduct is allowed to resign and take a job in another district rather than face a complete investigation.
A 2023 report from the Defense of Freedom Institute alleged that some local education agencies and teachers’ unions have helped conceal allegations by using resignation agreements, nondisclosure clauses, and other arrangements that prevent full employment records from following accused employees.
The report also claimed that union officials have sometimes opposed legislation designed to make it easier to track and discipline school employees accused of sexual misconduct.
In May, the Department of Education opened a Title IX investigation into the Los Angeles Unified School District. Federal officials alleged that the district may have failed to protect students by mishandling accusations against employees.
The administration’s latest effort places renewed pressure on school districts to review their reporting systems, disciplinary procedures, and hiring practices. It also raises questions about whether districts are doing enough to share information when an accused employee applies for work elsewhere.
The issue is not limited to isolated cases. A 2024 study published through Taylor & Francis reported a 55 percent increase in incidents of sexual violence in U.S. public K-12 schools between the 2015-2016 and 2017-2018 school years.
Those numbers highlight why strong reporting requirements and independent investigations matter. Parents need confidence that allegations will be taken seriously, that school officials will not protect employees at the expense of students, and that accused offenders will not simply be moved from one campus to another.
The administration’s message is straightforward: schools that receive federal money are expected to protect children, report misconduct honestly, and comply with federal law. Districts that fail to do so may now face greater scrutiny and more serious consequences.