Five Virginia Districts Found in Violation of Title IX

The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights has determined that five Northern Virginia school districts—Alexandria City, Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun, and Prince William—violated Title IX by allowing students to use restrooms and locker rooms according to gender identity instead of biological sex. The investigation, initiated in February, referenced complaints about transgender accommodation policies and included allegations of female students witnessing inappropriate behavior. The Department has ordered the districts to rescind their gender identity-based policies within 10 days, adopt biology-based definitions of 'male' and 'female' for Title IX purposes, and notify schools of the changes. Failure to comply could result in enforcement actions, including referral to the Department of Justice. Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin and Attorney General Jason Miyares have praised the decision, while federal officials criticized the previous administration for permitting the policies. The districts now face a decision whether to comply with the federal directives or risk legal consequences.