The U.S. Department of Education announced Wednesday that it has opened 18 investigations into K-12 school districts, colleges, and state education departments over alleged violations of Title IX related to “gender identity” policies.
According to the department, the investigations were initiated after complaints were filed with its Office for Civil Rights accusing the educational entities of engaging in sex discrimination. Title IX prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex by any education program or activity that receives federal funding.
The complaints allege that the schools and agencies under investigation allow students to participate in sex-segregated sports based on “gender identity” rather than biological sex. The Education Department said such policies may undermine the intent of Title IX by placing female students at a disadvantage.
In a statement, the department said the policies under review “jeopardize both the safety and the equal opportunities of women in education programs and activities” by permitting males who identify as female to compete on girls’ and women’s sports teams.
The investigations were announced one day after the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in two major cases involving state laws that bar males, including those who identify as transgender, from participating in women’s sports.
Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Kimberly Richey said the timing underscores the administration’s position on Title IX enforcement.
“In the same week that the Supreme Court hears oral arguments on the future of Title IX, OCR is aggressively pursuing allegations of discrimination against women and girls by entities which reportedly allow males to compete in women’s sports,” Richey said. “Time and again, the Trump Administration has made its position clear: violations of women’s rights, dignity, and fairness are unacceptable.”
The Education Department said the investigations span ten states and include public school districts, colleges, and state-level education agencies.
The entities under investigation are:
- Jurupa School District (California)
- Placentia-Yorba School District (California)
- Santa Monica College (California)
- Santa Rosa Junior College (California)
- Waterbury Public Schools (Connecticut)
- Hawaii State Department of Education (Hawaii)
- Regional School Unit 19 (Maine)
- Regional School Unit 57 (Maine)
- Foxborough Public Schools (Massachusetts)
- University of Nevada–Reno (Nevada)
- Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District (New York)
- New York City Department of Education (New York)
- Great Valley School District (Pennsylvania)
- Champlain Valley School District (Vermont)
- Cheney Public Schools (Washington)
- Sultan School District No. 311 (Washington)
- Tacoma Public Schools (Washington)
- Vancouver Public Schools (Washington)
Richey said the Office for Civil Rights would pursue the cases aggressively, adding, “We will leave no stone unturned in these investigations to uphold women’s right to equal access in education programs—a fight that started over half a century ago and is far from finished.”
The Education Department has not said how long the investigations are expected to take or what specific penalties could result if violations are found.
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Seijah Drake was born in Boston, MA, where she developed a penchant for writing early on and a passion for politics in college. After college she worked briefly for a conservative media in New York before relocating to the Greater D.C. Area to pursue a career in political marketing. She now resides in the free state of Florida.
My gawd. Sanity in the judicial branch? What ever is going on?