Dear Survivors, Students, and Allies,
Yesterday, with the tightest margin in United States history, Betsy DeVos was confirmed as the next U.S. Secretary of Education. We, like many of you, remain deeply concerned that Ms. DeVos has refused to commit to protecting students from discrimination and sexual violence by failing to protect and enforce Title IX.
When survivors first filed a complaint against the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2012, they were told that no one would listen and that they would inevitably lose against such a powerful institution. But survivors’ voices are powerful. Within a year, hundreds of activists and survivors across the country began holding their schools accountable for discrimination and mishandling cases of sexual violence.
We haven’t stopped since, and we’re not going anywhere.
Senator Bob Casey read from two survivors’ testimonials from the Dear Betsy Campaign on the Senate Floor
“If [DeVos] is confirmed as Secretary of Education, she is not some independent operator. She is a servant of the people. The people are her boss, [survivors are] her boss. She has a sacred duty that she cannot escape to give answers to these survivors and to the advocates who so bravely support them.”
We will hold Betsy DeVos accountable. We will continue to advocate alongside survivors. We will continue to ensure that all students understand consent, sexual violence, and healthy relationships. We will continue to hold institutions accountable for discriminating against students with disabilities and members of the LGBTQ community. Most importantly, we will continue to ensure that survivors are heard, supported, and believed.
Together, we have started a movement that cannot be stopped. No matter what happens, we will continue to push for progress.
Join us.
