(The Epoch Times)—The Department of Education’s (ED) Office for Civil Rights on July 10 launched an initiative cracking down on sexual predators in K–12 schools.

“The Trump Administration has observed a troubling and recurring pattern in schools across the nation of credible reports of sexual abuse and harassment by adults in positions of authority going uninvestigated or of suspected offenders being transferred to new schools or roles in the district,” the department said in a statement.

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“When school administrators protect adults accused of assaulting or harassing children from meaningful consequences, enabling them to continue harming kids in another environment, it is referred to as ‘passing the trash.’”

In a July 10 guidance letter issued to educational institutions receiving federal funding, Secretary of Education Linda McMahon reminded schools of their legal obligation to safeguard children and appropriately respond to sexual misconduct allegations in line with Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 and the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA).

In the letter, McMahon cited a 2003 study that found that 9.6 percent of students in grades eight to 11 reported some sexual misconduct involving an educator. McMahon pointed out that such a stat would have led to a national outcry in “any other setting.”

McMahon said the department will “vigorously enforce” Title IX and ESEA obligations to all applicable institutions. Her letter asked schools to ensure their policies comply with these regulations.

Officials with authority to take corrective actions on sexual misconduct allegations should be trained to identify and respond to such incidents. Schools must make sure that investigations are “thorough, timely, and genuinely responsive,” she wrote.

Institutions that fail to comply with these federal laws risk losing funding from the Trump administration, McMahon warned.

In its statement, the department said educational institutions have been instructed to prevent “pass the trash” practices.

Schools must maintain policies that prevent employees credibly accused of sexual assault from being transferred to different roles or new schools to avoid accountability.

Institutions must also ensure students have equal access to educational opportunities without being subject to discrimination on the basis of sex, the department said.

In addition to instructing schools on sexual misconduct, the Office of Civil Rights is initiating 20 investigations into school districts identified as potentially not addressing staff sexual misconduct against students.

“Our schools must protect America’s children. Parents should never have to wonder whether their kids’ school employs and protects sexual predators,” McMahon said in a statement.

“Schools that receive federal funding have a duty to protect students, report sexual misconduct honestly, and follow the law. Through this initiative, we are holding school districts accountable because every child deserves to learn in a safe environment free from sexual abuse and harassment.”

In May, the Department of Education announced it was opening a Title IX investigation into a school district in California over alleged policies that automatically reassigned teachers accused of engaging in sexual misconduct with students to another school.

A 2023 study published in the National Library of Medicine found that 11.7 percent of 6,632 high school graduates reported experiencing educator sexual misconduct during K–12 grades.

According to the study, 63 percent of perpetrators were academic teachers, while 20 percent were coaches and gym teachers.

Several states have taken action to tackle this issue. In October 2025, California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed SB 848 into law, which establishes new requirements to improve student safety by addressing employee misconduct and establishing a statewide system to track such investigations.

In Oklahoma, Gov. Kevin Stitt signed SB 1733 into law on April 22. The bill mandates that schools report any allegation of child sexual abuse to law enforcement agencies within 24 hours, according to a Feb. 17 statement from the office of Oklahoma State Sen. Kristen Thompson. Such reporting must be done before any school-level investigation begins.

“This bill ensures that trained law enforcement professionals are leading investigations into serious allegations from the very beginning,” Thompson said at the time. “It establishes clear protocols, strengthens accountability and removes any ambiguity about who is responsible for taking action.”