Pray for a balanced and fair hearing on all campus assaults perpetrated on college campuses.

 “You must not testify falsely against your neighbor.” (Ex 20:16)

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“Education Secretary Betsy DeVos’ decision to rescind the Obama administration’s Title IX letter on campus sexual assault won applause from those who feared the policy eroded due process and presumed guilt of any accused person.

Ms. DeVos also issued an interim guidance for schools on ‘how to investigate and adjudicate allegations of campus sexual misconduct under federal law’ while the department proceeds with its rulemaking to replace the 2011 policy.

‘This interim guidance will help schools as they work to combat sexual misconduct and will treat all students fairly,’ said Ms. DeVos in a statement. ‘Schools must continue to confront these horrific crimes and behaviors head-on. There will be no more sweeping them under the rug. But the process also must be fair and impartial, giving everyone more confidence in its outcomes.’

She announced earlier this month that the rulemaking process had begun to replace the policy, saying that the ‘era of rule by letter is over.’

Her decision drew strong support from civil liberties organizations that had fought the 2011 ‘Dear Colleague’ letter from the department’s Office for Civil Rights, which put pressure on universities to crack down on sexual assault by, for example, using a lower standard of proof for findings of guilt.

The result was more than 180 lawsuits filed by students disciplined, suspended or expelled for sexual assault who claimed that they had been railroaded by universities fearful of incurring an investigation or risking their federal funding by running afoul of the department.

“Dear Colleague: It’s over! Education Department rescinds controversial 2011 letter,” said the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education in a statement….

The announcement was condemned as “shameful” by those who accused Ms. DeVos of not taking campus sexual assault seriously….

Andrew T. Miltenberg, a New York City lawyer who has worked with nearly 150 students from more than 40 colleges, said that the ‘Dear Colleague’ letter, ‘while well intentioned, was poorly implemented.’ . . .

‘As to our ongoing cases, I hope that the courts take notice of the fact that these young men who have had their lives altered were found responsible under protocols which we now understand to be unjust,’ said Mr. Miltenberg. ‘Perhaps they can now get their lives back. (Excerpted from The Washington Times, reporting by Valerie Richardson.)