The U.S. Department of Education (DOE) launched an investigation this week into an Oregon school district, the latest in the Trump administration’s crackdown on states that allow transgender student-athletes to participate on school teams that align with their gender identity.  

As The Hill reported, last Tuesday, the DOE’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) announced its investigation into Portland Public Schools, the state’s largest school district, and the Oregon School Activities Association (OSAA), the state’s governing body for high school sports. The OCR alleges that OSAA and the district violated Title IX by allowing a trans teen at Leodis V. McDaniel High School to compete with other girls and access the girls’ locker room. The DOE’s press release announcing the investigation misgenders the student-athlete throughout.

Related

Trump admin threatens legal action against states that allow trans athletes in school sports
It’s not clear how far Trump will go to enforce this executive order.

“We will not allow the Portland Public Schools District or any other educational entity that receives federal funds to trample on the antidiscrimination protections that women and girls are guaranteed under law,” Acting Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Craig Trainor said in a statement.

Stay connected to your community

Connect with the issues and events that impact your community at home and beyond by subscribing to our newsletter.
Subscribe to our Newsletter today

“President Trump and Secretary [Linda] McMahon have been steadfast in their commitment to protect the rights of women and girls,” Trainor added. “OCR will use every lawful means to ensure that no female athlete is denied equal athletic opportunities or robbed of her rightful accolades.” 

In February, President Trump signed an executive order aimed at blocking federal funding for schools that allow trans girls and women to compete on girls’ and women’s sports teams. His order directed the Department of Justice to prosecute schools that allow trans sports participation. Trump also signed another executive order rescinding the Biden administration’s interpretation of Title IX, the federal law prohibiting sex discrimination. Biden said Title IX prohibited anti-trans school policies as a form of sex-based discrimination.

In a statement, Portland Public Schools superintendent Kimberlee Armstrong told The Hill that the district is cooperating with the department’s investigation.

“I stand firm in our legal responsibilities, and I deeply value every student’s right to be treated with dignity, safety, and respect,” Armstrong said.  

Armstrong said that the district “is in full compliance with Oregon state law, which may differ from federal guidance.”

As The Hill notes, Oregon law prohibits schools from categorically banning trans students from participating in school sports. The state Education Department’s 2023 Supporting Gender Expansive Students guidance says, “Questions about individual sports eligibility or protocols should be directed to the applicable governing association.” The OSAA, meanwhile, has allowed trans student-athletes to participate on teams that align with their gender identity since 2019.

In its March 25 press release, OCR reiterated its position that federal antidiscrimination law, which the Trump administration now interprets as banning trans athletes from women’s and girls’ sports, supersedes state laws.

“We are actively working with our legal and state partners to navigate this complex legal landscape,” Armstrong said. “While I am limited in what I can share at this time due to the sensitive nature of the matter and our duty to protect student privacy, I want to be clear: my commitment — and our district’s commitment — to doing what’s right for all students, especially those most vulnerable, remains unwavering.”

The Oregon investigation is just the latest in the administration’s efforts to ban trans students from school sports that align with their gender identity.

In February, OCR launched investigations into the Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL) and the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF), both of which announced they would adhere to state antidiscrimination rules allowing transgender student-athletes to play school sports.

Later the same month, Trainor announced an investigation into Maine Department of Education. On March 17, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said that the state’s DOE, the Maine Principals’ Association (MPA), and Greely High School in Cumberland, Maine were in violation of Title IX for letting trans girls participate in girls’ sports.

This week, the MPA and the district that includes Greely High School said they would not comply with HHS’s order to ban trans student-athletes from girls’ sports, with the MPA citing the state’s Human Rights Act.

Subscribe to the LGBTQ Nation newsletter and be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.