Under federal law, students are guaranteed a right to education free from discrimination. Experiences of discrimination include sexual violence and harassment as well as unfavorable treatment on the basis of gender identity, sexual orientation, race/ethnicity, and disability. Schools are required to respond to the various needs of students to ensure that they can continue to access their education after experiencing discrimination, and a failure to do so can also constitute discrimination.
In our advocacy, we have heard from many people who have incurred additional student loan debt as a result of discrimination or have experienced difficulties paying off existing student loan debt after they exit their educational institution. In order to have a better sense of the scope of this issue and to devise policy solutions, we are asking people who have experienced discrimination to share their experiences with student loan debt.
Know Your IX is committed to supporting the agency of individuals who have experienced discrimination. As such, any individualized information will not be shared outside of Know Your IX without your consent. If you have questions, please contact Alyssa Peterson at
petersonalyssaj@gmail.com.