Public schools in Montgomery County, Prince George’s County and Frederick County risk losing federal funding after new investigations into alleged Title IX violations.
On Tuesday, June 23, the US Department of Education released a statement declaring their Office of Civil Rights (OCR) is opening an investigation into the Maryland State Department of Education, Montgomery County Public Schools, Prince George’s County Public Schools and Frederick County Public Schools (the Districts) in Maryland. The statement claims the OCR will determine whether the Districts violated Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (Title IX).
The OCR defines Title IX as a policy that “prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in educational programs and activities receiving federal financial assistance.”
The Investigation
This investigation came to fruition after the OCR received a complaint regarding Maryland’s statewide guidance and district-level policies which ensure that all students, regardless of orientation, have equal access to facilities of their choosing and opportunities to participate in sports without discrimination.
According to the statement, the complaint alleges female students “objected to sharing sex-separated spaces” with someone not born female, “the Districts placed the burden on those girls to seek alternative facilities, including distant single-user restrooms, rather than enforcing sex-based protections guaranteed under federal law.”
Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Kimberly Richey said “The practice of allowing students to access sex-separated programs and facilities based solely on self-asserted ‘gender identity’ is deeply troubling and raises significant legal concerns.” Richey claims the department “will fully investigate these allegations and take appropriate action to ensure compliance with federal law.”
MCPS Response
In an email to MCM, Montgomery County Public Schools Director/Public Information Officer Liliana López states “MCPS remains committed to providing safe, welcoming and inclusive learning environments for all students and to complying with applicable federal and Maryland laws and regulations. As the matter is now under review by the Office for Civil Rights, we have no further comment at this time.”
MCM inquired into the name of the source of the complaint, but has not received a reply from the U.S. Department of Education.
