The U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights announced Wednesday that it has begun investigations into 18 academic institutions in 10 states for violations of Title IX.
The entities named in the complaint violated Title IX policies by permitting students to participate in sports based on their "gender identity," not biological sex.
"These policies jeopardize both the safety and the equal opportunities of women in educational programs and activities," the Education Department said in a release.
The entities range from school districts to postsecondary education institutions to state departments of education.
"OCR is aggressively pursuing allegations of discrimination against women and girls by entities that reportedly allow males to compete in women's sports," Kimberly Richey, assistant secretary for civil rights, said.
"Time and again, the Trump administration has made its position clear: violations of women's rights, dignity, and fairness are unacceptable," Richey added.
"We will leave no stone unturned in these investigations to uphold women's right to equal access in education programs, a fight that started over half a century ago and is far from finished," Richey continued.
Schools in California, Connecticut, Massachusetts and New York were among those under investigation.
Sam Barron ✉
Sam Barron has almost two decades of experience covering a wide range of topics including politics, crime and business.
© 2026 Newsmax. All rights reserved.