Virginia School Districts Sue Education Dept Over Transgender Funding Freeze

Arlington Public Schools and Fairfax County Public Schools in Northern Virginia have filed lawsuits against the Department of Education after the Trump administration threatened to withhold tens of millions of dollars in federal funding over their transgender student policies. The Education Department placed these districts on "high-risk status," effectively freezing $23 million for Arlington and $167 million for Fairfax, citing violations of Title IX for allowing students to use bathrooms and locker rooms aligned with their gender identity rather than biological sex. Education Secretary Linda McMahon asserted that these school divisions must comply with federal law and prove proper use of federal funds, criticizing their policies as prioritizing "woke gender ideology" over legal requirements. The school districts argue that the funding freeze is unconstitutional and claim their policies align with existing legal precedents, emphasizing the negative impact on essential programs such as free meals, special education, and student services. Both districts maintain that they are being forced to violate state and federal law to retain funding, and their lawsuits seek to remove the "high-risk" designation and restore full access to federal funds. The dispute highlights the broader conflict between the Trump administration's interpretation of Title IX and school districts' efforts to protect transgender student rights.