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Albuquerque, N.m. • Attorneys general from Pennsylvania, New Mexico and more than a dozen other states are urging U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos to keep in place protections for survivors of sexual assault on college campuses.
The attorneys sent a letter to DeVos on Wednesday, voicing their concerns about reports that suggest her office is preparing to rollback Obama-era guidance for stepped-up investigations of sexual assault at universities and colleges across the country.
DeVos said last week that the current system isn't working. She says allegations cannot be swept under the rug and that due process is needed.
Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro says student safety needs to be put first. Several schools in his state are being investigated for their response to sexual assault.
In New Mexico, a 2016 federal investigation found that state's flagship school had failed in its handling of such cases.