Five Virginia school districts are refusing to revoke their transgender-inclusive policies that allow trans kids to use facilities matching their gender identity, even though the current presidential administration has frozen the districts congressionally approved federal education funding over the matter.The school districts Alexandria, Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun, and Prince William say that their policies are required by Title IX, the federal law prohibiting educational discrimination based on sex. But while the previous presidential administration interpreted the law as requiring schools to maintain trans-inclusive policies, the current one has claimed that such policies harm cisgender female students. Related Restaurant employee corners lesbian teen in womens toilet, demands proof of her gender In June, the federal Department of Education (ED) ordered the five Northern Virginia school districts to immediately end their trans-inclusive policies, including policies that allow trans students to be addressed by their personal names and pronouns and to play on sports teams matching their gender identity.In a statement announcing the funding freeze, the ED wrote that it had generously granted an extension for the schools to come into compliance with Title IX and follow federal law. Never Miss a Beat Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights. Subscribe to our Newsletter today Unfortunately, the additional time did not result in a fruitful outcome, the ED wrote, leading to the suspension or termination of federal financial assistance to these divisions.The Virginia districts will have to defend their embrace of radical gender ideology over ensuring the safety of their students, the ED dishonestly claimed. The ED had claimed that its investigations found that female students had been avoiding the school districts restrooms and locker rooms because of trans-inclusive policies and after witnessing male students inappropriately touching other students and watching female students change in a female locker room.Its unclear how many trans students attend the districts schools to begin with, though an estimated 0.5% of U.S. people above the age of 13 are trans, according to The Williams Institute. Regardless, there is no evidence that trans people are a threat to cisgender girls and women in restrooms. Schools and cities with trans-inclusive restroom policies have found no increase in related assaults. A 2021 study from UCLAs Williams Institute also found that trans people arefour times more likely than cis peopleto be victims of violent crime.Nevertheless, the current presidential administration has instructed all schools to rescind their trans-inclusive policies and to adopt biology-based definition of the words male and female in all practices and policies relating to Title IX. When the Loudoun County school board voted 6-3 last week to maintain its current trans-inclusive policies, the board explained in a statement that the district was following precedent set by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. In 2020,that court affirmed a lower court decision in favor of trans student Gavin Grimm, who had sued his school district after he was told to use the bathroom in a bucket in a converted janitors closet and was called a freak at a school board meeting about his bathroom usage. The court found that Title IX and the Equal Protection Clause of the Constitution prohibited his school district from discriminating against him.In a July letter,Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS)leaders wrote, For families, students and staff concerned about whether or how this decision will impact operations in ACPS, please know that ACPS current policies regarding the rights of all students to use restrooms and locker rooms in accordance with their gender identity will remain in place.A letter published last Friday by the pro-LGBTQ+ regional coalition Equality Arlington praised the schools for standing by their pro-trans policies. The U.S. Department of Educations demands are an illegal attempt to violate the human and civil rights of vulnerable transgender, nonbinary, and gender expansive students, and we know that more discriminatory demands will follow [from] a federal government intent on discriminating against many marginalized groups, the letter states. Thank you for recognizing the critical importance of making sure our schools are safe and supportive environments for all students.The letter notes that over 3,000 Virginia families, teachers, and residents signed letters supporting the districts pro-trans policies in the face of unprecedented federal pressure, adding, These policies and practices foster a culture that affirms the dignity of each student and celebrates our diversity as individuals.Thank you for standing up to federal bullying, for your commitment to following federal and Virginia law, and for your decision to maintain nondiscrimination policies that protect transgender, nonbinary, and gender expansive students, the letter says. Together, we can fight to ensure that all kids have a school environment where they can thrive.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.