Federal Investigation Targets New England Schools Over Trans Athletes

The US Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights has launched investigations into 18 educational institutions nationwide, including five school districts in New England, over policies allowing transgender students to participate in sports based on gender identity, according to a department announcement.

The New England targets include Foxborough Public Schools in Massachusetts; Champlain Valley School District in Hinesburg, Vermont; Waterbury Public Schools in Connecticut; and two regional districts in Maine based in Waterboro and Newport, the Boston Globe reported.

The department said it received complaints alleging the entities violated Title IX, the federal law prohibiting sex-based discrimination in educational programs and activities. According to the department's January 14 press release, the investigations examine whether these institutions "maintain policies or practices that discriminate on the basis of sex by permitting students to participate in sports based on their 'gender identity,' not biological sex."

"In the same week that the Supreme Court hears oral arguments on the future of Title IX, OCR is aggressively pursuing allegations of discrimination against women and girls by entities which reportedly allow males to compete in women's sports," Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Kimberly Richey said in the announcement. "We will leave no stone unturned in these investigations to uphold women's right to equal access in education programs."

The timing proved notable, coming one day after the US Supreme Court heard oral arguments in cases considering whether states can bar transgender athletes from girls' and women's sports teams, according to the Globe's reporting. A majority of justices appeared inclined to allow such restrictions during those arguments.

These investigations stem from President Trump's executive order signed in February 2025, which authorized federal agencies to withhold funding from entities allowing transgender athletes to compete in girls' and women's sports.

Adam Bunting, superintendent of Vermont's Champlain Valley School District, told his community that the district was targeted for following Vermont state policy permitting students to participate in sports and access facilities according to their gender identity, the Globe reported.

Bunting indicated the district, located south of Burlington, plans to submit an official response while remaining committed to supporting all students. In his email to community members, he quoted a sign from his office: "You are just the child we hoped would show up. So welcome. We are glad you are here."

Amy Berdos, superintendent of Foxborough Public Schools, said in a statement that her district follows state law and guidance prohibiting discrimination against student-athletes based on gender identity, according to the Globe. Stephen Marquis, superintendent of the regional district in Waterboro, Maine, similarly stated his district complies with state and federal laws and provides a safe and inclusive learning environment for all students.

The federal investigations represent the latest development in ongoing national debates about transgender youth participation in school athletics, an issue that has become a focal point of both legal challenges and policy changes across numerous states.