James Norton: “I come to the floor to put the Congress on fair warning that there is a statute in serious need of fixing. Women Members…”

“I come to the floor to put the Congress on fair warning that there is a statute in serious need of fixing. Women Members of Congress will hold a press conference tomorrow at 11 a.m. to call the attention of the Congress to this predicament. The Supreme Court handed down a decision, the Gebser decision, involving a ninth grade student who was assaulted by her teacher in as much as he had sexual intercourse with her over a period of time. She sued under title 9 for sexual assault and harassment and the Court found that this Congress had not, in fact, given the Court sufficient guidance so that damages could be awarded under title 9. This affair with a student began when she was in the eighth grade and joined a high school book discussion group. The teacher often made sexually suggestive remarks to her. Later on, when she went to the ninth grade and was assigned to his class, he lured her into sexual intercourse and apparently had sexual intercourse many times, including during class times. This youngster did not report this relationship to school officials. She said she was uncertain how to act. I am sure she was utterly confused that this disproportionate power relationship had evolved in this direction. When her parents found out, of course they looked for remedies and among them was a remedy under title 7. The Court found that she did not report the relationship to school officials. Surprise, surprise.…”