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Federal officials launched an investigation Wednesday into New York City’s Education Department, targeting a policy that allows transgender students to play on sports teams in line with their gender identity.
The U.S. Education Department’s Office for Civil Rights contends that the city’s rules violate Title IX, which prohibits sex discrimination at educational entities that receive federal funding.
The Trump administration launched investigations into 18 educational institutions on Wednesday that all have similar policies on trangender students’ participation in sports, including 14 school districts, three colleges, and Hawaii’s state education department.
“Time and again, the Trump Administration has made its position clear: violations of women’s rights, dignity, and fairness are unacceptable,” Kimberly Richey, assistant secretary for civil rights, wrote in a statement.
Federal officials did not respond to a question about whether their investigation was motivated by any specific examples of how New York City’s policy is being applied. A spokesperson said the investigation is in response to city policies that allow transgender girls to play on girls’ sports teams. They are also investigating transgender students’ access to other facilities.
The city’s Education Department did not immediately return a request for comment.
This is not the first time the Trump administration has invoked its contested interpretation of federal civil rights laws to target the nation’s largest school system.
Last year, federal officials announced plans to withhold tens of millions in grant funding for several New York City magnet school programs because of city policies allowing transgender students to play on sports teams and use bathrooms in accordance with their gender identity. Former Mayor Eric Adams indicated he was open to changing the policies, though he had little power to do so and the city ultimately sued to block the cuts. That case has not been resolved.
The Trump administration announced the investigations the same week that the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments in two lawsuits seeking to overturn state-level bans on transgender athletes participating in girls’ sports. The court’s conservative majority is expected to uphold those bans — but not to rule on whether allowing such participation violates Title IX.
National editor Erica Meltzer contributed.
Alex Zimmerman is a reporter for Chalkbeat New York, covering NYC public schools. Contact Alex at azimmerman@chalkbeat.org.
