02/06/2023
On January 26, 2023, the U.S. Department of Education announced the resolution of a pregnancy discrimination investigation of Troy University in Alabama.
The Office for Civil Rights (OCR) ran an investigation to determine whether the university appropriately responded to a student’s requests for pregnancy-related accommodations during the 2020-2021 school year.
OCR confirmed that the student notified the university of her pregnancy BEFORE the 2022 fall semester, and revealed repeated instances where the student experienced negative effects from a lack of pregnancy-related accommodations, such as:
🤰unable to fit in a classroom desk (the student requested a table, but never received one)
🤰penalized in a class for poor attendance
🤰received a failing grade in a class because she was DENIED the ability to make up work
Upon the concerns uncovered by OCR’s investigation, Troy University agreed to:
🤰train faculty and staff regarding rights to pregnant students
🤰track pregnancy-related adjustments and the university’s response
🤰update the university’s website to provide information about pregnant students’ rights
🤰provide the affected student adjustments to grades negatively impacted by the university’s handling of her requests and reimbursement for documented expenses related to courses she had to retake from the semester she was pregnant
🤰review and revise certain policies to ensure they comply with the Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972
What are your thoughts on this case? Let me know by commenting on this post!
Sources:
- U.S. Department of Education Press Release, “U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights Announces Resolution of Pregnancy Discrimination Investigation of Troy University in Alabama”
- Image: Troy University’s website