Trump Education Secretary Betsy DeVos tore up Obama's rules on investigating campus sex assault claims Thursday, saying they had been 'weaponized' and had led to people being wrongly accused.

DeVos said there would now be months of consultation on new rules which she said had to offer protection to the 'falsely accused' and respect 'due process'.

There were protests outside as she spoke at George Mason University in Arlington, VA, in an indication that her moves are likely to prove controversial.

Dev Vos offered a lengthy critique of how the Obama administration had ordered campuses to enforce Title IX legislation, saying it had failed to offer justice.

Pointed: Betsy DeVos made her address at the law school named for conservative Supreme Court justice Antonin Scalia

Protest: A group of women outside who included those claiming to have been assaulted on campus offered some indication of the controversy likely to follow the end of the Title IX rules

'Schools have been compelled by Washington to enforce ambiguous and incredibly broad definitions of assault and harassment,' she said.

' Too many cases have involved students or faculty who have been punished for speaking their minds or teaching their classes.

'Any perceived offense can become a fully-blown Title IX investigation - but if everything is harassment thing nothing is.'

Speaking at the Atonin Scalia Law School, named for the late conservative Supreme Court justice, she

DeVos said Thursday, 'The era of 'rule by letter' is over,' as she announced plans to review and replace the way colleges and university handle investigations.

The Obama administration guidance was originally delivered in a letter to schools. She says it has failed many students and done a 'disservice to everyone involved.'

The letter details what schools must do to investigate allegations of sexual violence.

DeVos made clear that 'acts of sexual misconduct are reprehensible, disgusting, and unacceptable.'

'One rape is one too many,' she said. 'One assault is one assault too many. One person denied due process is one too many.'

But she added: 'Instead of working with schools on behalf of students, the prior administration weaponized the Office for Civil Rights to work against schools and against students.'

Victims: The protests at George Mason University in Arlington, Virginia, included a mother who said her daughter had been assaulted

She said her department will seek public comment and university expertise to develop rules to replace the current policy.

About two dozen protesters had gathered outside the auditorium where Education Secretary Betsy DeVos was speaking.

The protesters include women who said they were assaulted on campus and victims' advocates.

One sign said: 'Donald Trump supports Betsy DeVos supports perpetrators.'

Some victim advocates and legal experts said they expected colleges to stay the course regardless of what DeVos said.

Central to the debate is a 2011 memo from the Education Department that laid out rules colleges must follow when responding to complaints of sexual assault from their students.

Title IX is a federal law that forbids discrimination in education based on sex. In recent years, it's been associated with efforts to address sexual assault and harassment at college campuses.