CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools district is under four Title IX investigations, WCNC Charlotte has learned.
Two of the investigations are cases based on sexual harassment while the others are based on procedural requirements and retaliation, documents from the Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights database show.
WCNC Charlotte asked CMS for information about these investigations but a CMS spokesperson said the district cannot comment on any pending investigations.
"The safety and security of our students and staff is always of paramount importance to leadership at Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools and we are working each day to ensure that everyone has a safe learning and working environment," the district's statement reads.
WCNC Charlotte first learned CMS was under federal investigation in May. According to the Office for Civil Rights' database, the investigation was launched in November 2022. Three subsequent investigations were launched in July, according to the database.
Title IX laws protect people from sex-based discrimination in education programs or activities that receive federal financial assistance. It applies to schools, local and state educational agencies; and other institutions that receive federal financial assistance from the Department of Education.
CMS has faced scrutiny recently for its handling of sexual harassment and assault allegations. In January 2023, a federal jury found the district didn't violate Title IX in the case of a former Myers Park High School student who not only claimed a student sexually assaulted her, but that the district failed to help her. This incident resulted in a reshuffling of staff at the school, with a former principal being reassigned to a new role within CMS.
That student is not the only one who sued the district; many have been represented by nationally-known attorney Laura Dunn, who also represented a Hawthorne Academy student.
In December 2021, an alleged sexual assault at Butler High School was reported. This happened about a month after Dunn demanded the Department of Education launch a new Title IX investigation into CMS. Prior to Dunn's demand, a teen was charged with sexual assault at Olympic High School in October 2021.
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