Education Department Investigates Brigham Young’s Treatment of Gay Students

The Education Department is investigating Brigham Young University to determine whether its punishments for gay students violate Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, The Salt Lake Tribune reported. It is unusual for the department to investigate a religious college, like Brigham Young, because they are exempt from Title IX enforcement in most areas. A complaint was filed against Brigham Young in 2020, when the university changed its honor code, removing a ban on “homosexual behavior.” But a few weeks later, after some students came out on campus, the university clarified that same-sex partnerships would still be banned.

University spokesperson Carri Jenkins said in a statement that “BYU is exempt from application of Title IX rules that conflict with the religious tenets of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints … BYU does not anticipate any further action by [the department’s Office for Civil Rights] on this complaint.”