The U.S. Department of Education has determined a large Colorado school district violated federal civil rights law by letting students access sports teams and facilities based on their self-selected gender identity rather than their sex.
Federal investigators said Jefferson County Public Schools denied female students equal opportunities under Title IX. The probe started with questions about overnight trips and later expanded to include bathrooms, locker rooms and athletics.
“The district’s decision to prioritize ‘gender identity’ over ensuring equal access for its female students is unconscionable,” Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Kimberly Richey said.
Officials said district policies let male students take spots on girls’ teams and enter female-only spaces. Records reviewed during the investigation showed 61 roster spots on girls’ teams were held by male students, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights.
The department said the district’s policies denied female students equal access to programs and activities guaranteed under federal law.
