The U.S. Department of Education has determined that Denver Public Schools violated Title IX by implementing all-gender bathrooms, raising concerns about sex-based discrimination in education.
The U.S. Department of Education announced on Thursday that it found Denver Public Schools in violation of Title IX due to the establishment of all-gender bathrooms. This decision is significant as Title IX prohibits sex-based discrimination in educational settings.
The investigation, conducted by the department’s Office for Civil Rights, began in January following the conversion of a girls’ restroom at East High School into an all-gender facility. This change occurred while another restroom on the same floor remained designated for boys. The district stated that the decision was made through a student-led process and emphasized that the all-gender restroom featured 12-foot-tall partitions for privacy and security.
In response to concerns about fairness, the district later added a second all-gender restroom on the same floor. Officials maintained that students would still have access to gender-specific bathrooms as well as single-stall, all-gender restrooms.
The federal government has proposed a resolution that includes four conditions the district must agree to within the next ten days. Failure to comply could result in “imminent enforcement action.” Craig Trainor, the acting assistant secretary of the Office for Civil Rights, stated, “Denver Public Schools violated Title IX and its implementing regulations by converting a sex-segregated restroom designated for girls in East High School to an ‘all-gender’ facility.”
Trainor further noted that the district’s actions have created a hostile environment for students, compromising their safety, privacy, and dignity. He emphasized that while Denver may endorse certain ideologies, it cannot accept federal taxpayer funds while violating Title IX and endangering students.
The proposed resolution requires the district to revert all-gender bathrooms back to sex-designated multi-stall restrooms. Additionally, the district must eliminate any policies that allow students to access bathrooms based on gender identity rather than biological sex. The resolution also calls for the adoption of “biology-based definitions” for the terms “male” and “female” in all Title IX-related policies and practices.
Furthermore, the district is required to issue a memorandum affirming that schools must provide access to bathrooms that protect the privacy, dignity, and safety of students, ensuring comparability for each sex. The memorandum must also clarify that Title IX compliance guarantees that girls are not discriminated against in any educational program or activity.
Fox News Digital reached out to Denver Public Schools for comment on the findings and proposed resolution. Under the Trump administration, federal officials have actively targeted school districts that allow students to use bathrooms or participate in sports teams corresponding to their gender identity. In February, President Trump signed an executive order aimed at blocking transgender girls from competing on sports teams that do not align with their biological sex.
Earlier this week, House Republicans introduced legislation to prohibit transgender girls from using bathrooms or participating in sports teams that correspond with their gender identity rather than their biological sex.
According to Fox News, the ongoing debate over gender identity policies in schools continues to evoke strong opinions and legislative action across the country.
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