U.S. Department of Education Investigates Wisconsin School District Over Alleged Boys in Girls’ Restrooms
The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) has launched a directed investigation into the New Richmond School District in New Richmond, Wisconsin, following reports that the district is allowing students to use restrooms consistent with their gender identity, rather than their biological sex. The investigation, initiated on March 5, 2026, will determine whether the district has violated Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972.
Concerns and Complaints
The investigation stems from concerns raised by parents at a January 2026 school board meeting. Parents expressed anxieties about the safety of their daughters, alleging that biological males were permitted to use the girls’ restroom. Administrators reportedly did not address parents’ questions or provide assurances regarding their daughters’ safety. A student later testified at a subsequent board meeting, describing feelings of fear, embarrassment and anxiety due to the presence of boys in the girls’ restroom, stating she had stopped using school restrooms altogether.
Failed Policy Proposal
In February 2026, a school board member proposed a policy to separate bathrooms and locker rooms by biological sex. The proposal failed to pass, receiving support from only two of the seven board members.
Title IX and Federal Stance
Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Kimberly Richey stated, “The Trump Administration will always stand up for students and enforce Title IX to ensure that women and girls are safe when they are at school.” Richey further emphasized that “Young women should never be forced to share intimate spaces with boys and men because school leaders care more about radical gender ideology than protecting girls’ safety, dignity, and privacy.”
Title IX prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in any program or activity receiving federal financial assistance. The interpretation of Title IX regarding gender identity has shifted under different presidential administrations. In 2020, the Trump administration mandated that students use bathroom, locker, and shower facilities based on their biological sex. In 2024, the Biden administration updated Title IX to allow transgender students to use facilities aligning with their gender identity, but these changes were later struck down, and the 2020 restrictions were reinstated.
Political Reactions
The investigation has drawn attention from Republican political figures in Wisconsin. U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany criticized Governor Tony Evers for not defending female students. Republican candidate Michael Alfonso, running for Tiffany’s seat, accused the school district of “criminally allowing biological males to use female restrooms!”
District Response
The New Richmond School District superintendent and members of the school board have not yet responded to requests for comment regarding the federal investigation.