North Haven Board of Education v.

Bell
Supreme Court
Cite as: 456 U.S. 512 (1982)

Keywords: Title IX, employment, sex discrimination, federal funds, federal

financial assistance

Facts
Two Connecticut public school boards brought separate suits challenging the
Department of Health of Education and Welfare's (HEW) authority to issue Title
IX that prohibit federally funded institutions from discriminating on the basis
of gender with respect to employment. Petitioners contend that the scope of
Title IX was not meant to reach the employment practices of educational
institutions.

Issue
Does Title IX reach the employment practices of education institutions?

Holding
Relying on legislative history, the Court found that Title IX does protect
employees as well as students from discrimination on the basis of gender by
federally financed education programs. The Court also held that termination of
petitioners federal funds for such discrimination were subject to the program-
specific limitation set forth under §902 of Title IX, but remanded the case to
the District Court for further proceedings on this issue.

Summarized by: Matt Bower