The U.S. Department of Education has opened a civil rights investigation into the New Richmond School District in Wisconsin after allegations surfaced that biological boys have been allowed to use girls' bathrooms inside district schools. Federal officials launched the probe under Title IX, the federal law that governs sex-based protections in education programs receiving federal funding. The investigation will determine whether district policies violate federal rules requiring schools to provide separate private spaces for girls and boys.

The investigation is being handled by the Office for Civil Rights within the U.S. Department of Education. Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Kimberly Richey leads that office and oversees enforcement of Title IX protections in schools nationwide.

“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 said. “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. School board members who ignore these allegations are failing the families they serve.”

Concerns in New Richmond surfaced during public comments at a January 2026 school board meeting, where several parents and students directly addressed the board, expressing discomfort with restroom access policies. One female student told board members she avoids using school restrooms entirely because of anxiety about encountering male classmates inside those facilities. Families argued that school officials ignored repeated requests for clearer separation policies.

A proposal reached the New Richmond school board earlier this year that would've required restrooms and locker rooms to be separated strictly by biological sex. Only two of the seven board members supported that measure, leaving the policy unchanged. School officials later stated that the district believes it complies with all state and federal laws and intends to fully cooperate with the federal investigation as it proceeds.

In a statement, the school district said it is taking the investigation seriously but cannot comment on an ongoing legal matter.

The district’s statement read:

“The District has received notice from the Office of Civil Rights about the opening of an investigation regarding Title IX issues. The safety and security of all of our students is our top priority as a District, and we remain committed to ensuring that our students have the best learning environment possible. The District also takes its legal obligations very seriously and has remained in compliance with all applicable laws in this area. Despite the tone and tenor of the press release, we look forward to participating in the OCR’s investigation and to work collaboratively with the OCR on these matters moving forward. As this is an ongoing legal matter, the District will not be commenting further at the current time.”

Wisconsin's governor is, of course, Tony Evers, who previously served as the state superintendent of public instruction and has supported policies expanding gender identity protections in public schools across the state. Education policy decisions in Wisconsin increasingly reflect that approach, which has placed several districts at the center of national debates over student privacy and rights.

Legal battles over gender-related school policies have appeared in several Wisconsin districts in recent years. In Eau Claire, parents challenged a school guidance policy that allowed students to socially transition at school without notifying families. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit dismissed that lawsuit in 2024, allowing the district's policy to remain in place while the broader national legal debate continues.

Another legal dispute unfolded in the Kettle Moraine School District when parents challenged staff practices surrounding gender identity (pdf) and parental notification. Courts examined whether school officials could alter student names or pronouns without parental approval. Judges ruled that schools can't override parental authority in medical or social transition decisions without involving the family.

Federal education officials now face a clear question in the New Richmond investigation. Title IX requires schools to maintain equal opportunities for female students, while federal authorities must determine whether district restroom access policies undermine privacy protections long associated with that law. The Office for Civil Rights has the authority to require policy changes or pursue enforcement actions if violations are confirmed.

Debates over gender policy in public schools continue across the country. Federal enforcement decisions will shape how districts balance privacy protections, parental involvement, and competing interpretations of civil rights law. The outcome of the New Richmond investigation may influence how other school systems structure restroom access policies moving forward.

Families expect school leaders to protect students' safety and privacy while complying with federal law. When district leaders dismiss parental concerns, conflicts escalate into federal investigations and courtroom battles.

The Title IX probe in New Richmond places that tension directly before federal regulators, who now have the authority to determine whether district policies crossed a legal line.

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