Illinois school faces criminal DOJ referral after allegations of forcing girls to change with trans student
FIRST ON FOX: The Illinois school district that faced national scrutiny for allegations of forcing middle school girls to change in the same locker room as a transgender student has been referred to the Department of Justice.
The law firm America First Legal (AFL) made the criminal referral of the district Deerfield Public Schools 109 to the DOJ on Tuesday, urging the department to investigate the district and middle school where the allegations occurred for potential violations of federal and state law.
AFL alleged the district violated Code § 241, also known as the "Conspiracy against rights" statute, which makes it a federal crime for two or more people to conspire to injure, oppress, threaten, or intimidate any person in the free exercise or enjoyment of any right or privilege secured by the Constitution or laws.
"We ask that your office promptly open a directed criminal investigation into the allegations in the complaint for violations of § 241, take all actions necessary," the complaint reads.
AFL senior counselor Ian Prior advocated for a criminal investigation in a statement.
"The situation at Deerfield Public Schools has gone beyond a Title IX violation and has escalated to a situation that requires the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division to launch a criminal investigation. Students should not have their First, Fourth, and Fourteenth Amendment Rights sacrificed at the altar of radical transgender madness and the woke government bureaucrats that view the Constitution as nothing more than toilet paper should face the long arm of our Justice Department," Prior said.
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The U.S. Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights announced in late March that it was launching an investigation into the Illinois Department of Education, the Chicago Public School District 299 and Deerfield Public Schools District 109 over reported Title IX violations.
Illinois mother Nicole Georgas brought the situation to light when she filed a civil rights complaint with the Justice Department after alleging that school administrators had attempted to force her 13-year-old daughter to change in front of a transgender student in the girls' locker room last month.
Georgas told Fox News Digital on Tuesday that she is "praying" for her daughter and justice amid the request for an investigation.
"I am praying for justice for Cate and all the girls whose rights have been so callously disregarded," Georgas said.
Georgas revealed the complaint during a Board of Education meeting for Deerfield Public School District 109 last week, claiming the incident took place last month after her daughter had refused to change into her uniform during physical education because a biological male student had been present at the time.
"The girls want their locker rooms and bathrooms back. They want their privacy back. This is why I’m here tonight. My 13-year-old daughter’s well-being, mental health and privacy are at stake," Georgas said during her speech at the board meeting on Thursday.
Georgas then raised the issue to the school’s administration, noting to them that she believed it was a direct violation of President Donald Trump’s Keeping Men out of Women's Sports executive order. She said in her speech that the school administration had informed her that, under the direction of its legal counsel, the transgender student was free to use both the girls' bathroom and the girls' locker room
Fox News Digital has reached out to DPS 109 for comment.
The district previously provided a statement to Fox News Digital in response to the DOE investigation.
"Deerfield Public Schools District 109 complies with state law. The Illinois Human Rights Act prohibits all public school districts from discriminating on the basis of sex, including gender identity, and mandates that students must be permitted access to the locker room and bathroom that aligns with their gender identity," the statement read.
"We are sensitive to the privacy needs of all of our middle school students and ensure that no student is required to change into a gym uniform for physical education class in front of others. When both our middle schools were renovated in 2017, we added five private changing stations within each locker room that are available to all students. All students also have multiple options to change in a private location separate from the locker room if they wish."
The district also said it will work with local families to determine next steps.
"The District and the Board are united with our leaders and educators on this issue and have a shared commitment to upholding the law," the statement continued.
"The District and the Board call upon all of those expressing concerns or perspectives on this issue with our staff and educators to do so in a respectful and civil manner. We are glad to work with families to address any individual concerns and determine appropriate next steps to support your child's well-being and participation."
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