On February 3, 2025, America First Legal (AFL) filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education. The complaint alleges that five public school systems in northern Virginia have policies regarding "gender identity" that violate Title IX of the Higher Education Act of 1972 and Executive Order 14190 issued by former President Trump. The schools involved are located in Alexandria City, Arlington County, Fairfax County, Loudoun County, and Prince William County.
In response to the complaint, the Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights has initiated an investigation into these allegations. AFL expressed its intent to hold accountable those it accuses of promoting gender ideology in violation of civil rights laws.
Reed D. Rubinstein, Senior Vice President at America First Legal, stated: “Executive Order 14190 reaffirms the fact that our civil rights laws prohibit Federal taxpayer funds may not directly or indirectly support or subsidize Title IX violations, including the instruction, advancement, or promotion of gender ideology. The leftists who run northern Virginia’s schools act as if they are above the law... However, Federal civil rights laws apply even in northern Virginia, and it seems a reckoning is coming.”
Ian Prior, Senior Advisor at America First Legal, commented on the situation: “We are grateful that President Trump and the Department of Education are so committed to taking action and investigating these radical and lawless school districts... Each of these school districts has spent years bowing to the altar of transgender ideology while ignoring the law... If these school districts had any common sense... If they don’t, they should absolutely lose their federal funding.”
The investigation by the Office for Civil Rights marks a significant step in addressing AFL's concerns about compliance with federal regulations concerning gender identity policies in schools.