FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
The Ruth Project
https://ruthproj.org/
4 May 2023

Media Contact:
Press@ruthproj.org

Frisco Independent School District, TX:

On April 24, 2023, Frisco Independent students Eesha Vejella and Nishita Nekkanti spoke out at a Frisco ISD school board meeting in response to an epidemic of sexual assault and harassment in which students were unsupported by their school administrations. From testimonies of ignored cases of sexual harassment reported to many students not understanding what Title IX is or what their rights are, Frisco ISD has an imperative to act.

But when both Vejella and Nekkanti proposed sets of reform, in addition to posters educating students on their rights under Title IX, Frisco ISD was silent. Their school emails blocked any mention of “sexual harassment” or “sexual assault,” and it took weeks to receive a reply from the district’s Title IX coordinator. Earlier this week, they took to the school board’s public input meeting to call out this censorship and lack of action.

These students have amassed over 50 student testimonies of times when students experienced sexual harassment and assault in Frisco ISD schools and over a thousand signatures by students calling for Title IX reform.

About the Ruth Project:
The Ruth Project is a national gender equity advocacy organization fighting gender discriminatory policies and making a difference in Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s name. We have initiatives in the United States and Canada fighting for Title IX office reform and school dress code reform.

Our Work in Seminole County:
Under the leadership of FISD students Eesha Vejella and Nishita Nekkanti, we’ve been advocating for Title IX reform for nearly two years in Frisco, Texas. In Fall 2022, students Eesha Vejella, Nishita Nekkanti, Carson Statzer, and Ava Shepard spoke in front of the FISD school board to raise concerns of deliberate indifference. Since then, they’ve met with several school district officials.

Speaker Requests:
For interview inquiries, please contact press@ruthproj.org.

Social Media:
Instagram: @Ruthproject_
Twitter: @RuthProject
TikTok: @RuthProject
YouTube: Ruth Project

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