Trump administration opens four Title IX investigations into Michigan and North Carolina school districts
The United States Department of Education announced this week that it has opened four new investigations into Title IX violations - three in Michigan and one in North Carolina.
Two districts, Ann Arbor Public Schools and Monroe Public Schools, are being investigated for allegedly allowing biological males to compete against girls. Ann Arbor and the Chippewa Valley School District are also being investigated for allegedly allowing student-athletes use the opposite biological gender's locker room, the Department of Education said Thursday.
Announced Wednesday, the Buncombe County Schools district in North Carolina said a "concerned parent" reported to the Department of Education that female students in the district "are being forced to share their female-only restrooms with biological men."
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"The convoluted practice of allowing students to participate on sex-segregated athletic teams and make use of locker rooms based on ‘gender identity’ is not only known to be unsafe for students, but is a direct violation of federal law," Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Kimberly Richey said in Thursday's release.
"The Trump Administration has consistently upheld Title IX, as it was written and intended by Congress, enforcing the law to protect students across America from discrimination on the basis of sex rather than to perpetuate a radical ideology that risks the safety and wellbeing of students. We will continue to fight for what is right, fully investigate these alarming allegations, and enforce the law to the fullest extent."
"Since Day One, the Trump Administration has steadfastly enforced Title IX according to its intended purpose – to protect young women and girls from discrimination on the basis of sex. Even so, we still receive countless complaints from distressed parents who cannot trust school officials with the education and wellbeing of their children," Richie said Wednesday. So long as adults flout the law and twist it in the pursuit of radical political ideologies, the Trump Administration will launch investigations, hold schools accountable, and ensure the safety of female students across America."
The Ann Arbor school district is alleged to have allowed a biological male to compete on the girls' volleyball team and use the girls' locker room. The school district "allegedly maintains policies allowing males to compete on women’s sports teams," according to the Department of Education.
The Monroe school district, the release said, "allegedly discriminated against female students by requiring the girls’ volleyball team to compete against a team with a biological male and forced female athletes to share locker rooms with the male athlete. Parents report that Monroe Public Schools failed to respond appropriately to their concerns about legal violations and the risk of their children being put in inappropriate, unsafe situations."
The Chippewa Valley School District is accused of allowing a to female use the male locker room.
The North Carolina school district said it "follows the law regarding students' rights ensuring that all students have access to safe restrooms, locker rooms, and other school facilities."
"Our schools work with all students and families to ensure that every student has access to facilities that meet their needs in a safe and private manner. The school system will fully cooperate with the U.S. Department of Education on its inquiry," Buncombe County Schools said in a statement, via WYFF.
In a statement to Fox News Digital, Monroe Public Schools said it "is dedicated to fostering a secure and nurturing educational setting for every student and operates in full compliance with all state and federal regulations. A prior, thorough review of this matter by an independent investigator determined that Title IX violation claims against the district were unsubstantiated. We welcome the opportunity to coordinate with federal officials and are working in full cooperation with the Office for Civil Rights."
The other two districts did not immediately respond to emails from Fox News Digital.
The Supreme Court is expected to rule this month on two key hearings regarding transgender athletes in girls' and women's sports.
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