U.S. Department of Education Opens Three New Investigations into Michigan School Districts for Alleged Title IX Violations

Today, the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights (OCR) opened new investigations into Ann Arbor Public Schools, Monroe Public Schools, and the Chippewa Valley School District (the Districts) in Michigan. OCR will determine whether the Districts violated Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (Title IX) by allowing athletes to participate on boys' and girls' athletic teams and use locker rooms based on their self-professed 'gender identities.'

Ann Arbor Public Schools allegedly maintains policies allowing males to compete on women's sports teams. A complaint sent to OCR reports that a male not only competed on the girls' volleyball team at an Ann Arbor school, putting the safety of other students at risk, but he also allegedly used the female-only locker rooms to undress.

Monroe Public Schools 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 allegedly permitted a female student athlete to use the male-only locker room.

"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," said Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Kimberly Richey. "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."

Background

The U.S. Department of Education (the Department) has recognized June 2026 as the second annual Title IX Month, honoring the 54th anniversary of Title IX. As part of this month's Title IX initiatives so far, OCR has opened new Title IX investigations in North Carolina, issued Letters of Impending Enforcement Action to three Kansas school districts, and issued warning letters to districts in Colorado and Kansas.

The Trump Administration has fought to protect the integrity of Title IX since Inauguration Day. Within two weeks of being in office, the Department returned to enforcing the Trump Administration's 2020 Title IX rule after the Biden Administration's rewrite was vacated by a federal court. This action realigned Title IX's sex-based protections with biological reality, not ideological fantasy. 

In February 2025, President Trump signed an Executive Order to protect opportunities for women and girls to compete in safe and fair sports. Subsequently, the NCAA updated its transgender athletic participation policy, limiting competition in women's sports to student athletes who are biologically female.

Title IX prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in any program or activity receiving federal financial assistance.