NEW RICHMOND, Wis. (WFRV) – The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights has opened a directed investigation into the New Richmond School District following reports that the district allows students to use restrooms based on gender identity.
According to the department, the investigation will examine whether the district violated Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 by permitting access to intimate facilities based on gender identity rather than biological sex.
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The probe follows concerns raised during a January 2026 school board meeting, where several parents questioned district officials about restroom access policies and student safety. At a subsequent meeting, a student addressed the board, describing feelings of fear and anxiety and stating she avoids using school restrooms.
In February 2026, a school board member introduced a proposal that would require bathrooms and locker rooms to be separated by biological sex. The measure received two votes from the seven-member board and did not pass.
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“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,” Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Kimberly Richey said in a statement. “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. This Administration will investigate this complaint fully and address any violations it discovers promptly.”
The Office for Civil Rights has not announced a timeline for the investigation. The district has not publicly commented on the federal inquiry.
