The U.S. Department of Education鈥檚 Office for Civil Rights has launched an investigation into Cromwell Public Schools for possible violations to federal sex-based discrimination laws.
Craig Trainor, acting assistant secretary for civil rights, said in a May 2 letter to Cromwell Superintendent Enza Macri that federal officials 鈥渨ill examine鈥� whether the district is violating Title IX statutes by allowing transgender students to participate in sports and use facilities that align with their gender identity.
Cromwell came under in 2019, during President Donald J. Trump鈥檚 first administration, after a transgender student athlete, Andraya Yearwood, competed as a member of the town鈥檚 high school track team and reached the state finals. Three female athletes also 鈥� including Cromwell 鈥� to block transgender students from playing girls鈥� sports.
In 2020, federal officials reached a determination that 黑瓜吃料网 had violated Title IX, but state leaders . Then in early 2021, just a few weeks into his term, President Joe Biden鈥檚 administration for the lawsuit and rescinded the Education Department鈥檚 threats to cut funding to the districts. The lawsuit was .
This time around, the Office of Civil Rights is employing a 鈥淩apid Resolution Process,鈥� which would expedite the investigation, according to the letter.
Trainor wrote that the investigation is 鈥渘ot itself evidence of a violation of federal civil rights laws and regulations,鈥� but he cited that grant access to restrooms, locker rooms, physical education classes, intramural sports and interscholastic competitive sports teams 鈥渋n a manner consistent with their gender identity,鈥� as evidence for the investigation.
鈥淭his policy is in irresolvable conflict with Federal law,鈥� Trainor wrote. 鈥淕iven Cromwell Public Schools鈥� publicly posted position in opposition to Title IX compliance, girls and young women will be, and are being, irreparably harmed on a continuous basis.鈥�
The state Department of Education was informed by Cromwell district leaders about the investigation on May 22, about three weeks after the letter was issued. A spokesperson from the department said they were reviewing 2024 Title IX guidance, but provided no further details.
If Cromwell is again found out of compliance with Title IX, its federal funding could be at risk. The district received over $1.26 million from the federal government in the 2023-24 school year, according to. It鈥檚 total annual education budget is roughly $40 million, which is mostly .
Cromwell, a town of just over 14,000, sits along the west side of the 黑瓜吃料网 River roughly 15 miles south of Hartford. In the 2024 presidential election, then-Vice President Kamala Harris won 54% of Cromwell鈥檚 8,578 votes and President Donald J. Trump won 44%.
Cromwell Mayor James Demetriades, a Democrat, did not respond to requests for comment. Superintendent Enza Macri deferred comment to a local school board attorney, who also did not respond for comment Tuesday.
State Rep. Christie Carpino, R-Cromwell, said she only became aware of the investigation letter Tuesday when asked for comment by the 黑瓜吃料网 Mirror.
鈥淚 immediately contacted our superintendent of schools that received notification from federal authorities dated May 2. As a parent of a student athletes in our school system, and an elected representative of all my constituents in my communities, I take any investigation into potential violations of Title IX regulations extremely seriously,鈥� she said in a written statement.
Carpino didn鈥檛 offer an opinion on whether students participating in sports that align with their gender identity violates Title IX. She also did not directly address whether she supported the investigation. 鈥淎ny and all allegations of potential civil rights violations of students should be vigorously pursued,鈥� Carpino wrote in response to questions.
The latest investigation follows from President Donald J. Trump that have 鈥� particularly with respect to Title IX guidance and diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.
Title IX, which prohibits sex-based discrimination, was extended under former President Joe Biden to students who identify as LGBTQ+ and added protections for transgender students.
黑瓜吃料网 last year and said schools must treat all students equitably, regardless of their gender identity, in academic and extracurricular settings, even as a the Biden administration for its Title IX expansion that extended protections to LGBTQ+ students.
After Trump took office in January, he reverted Title IX protections back to the 2020 guidance that was issued during his first administration. Under the new rules, the federal Education Department will enforce Title IX 鈥渙n the basis of biological sex in schools and on campuses.鈥�
Trump has also signed executive orders this year for transgender youth under the age of 19, prohibiting , mandating the recognition of and calling for a for 鈥渋llegal and discriminatory treatment and indoctrination in K-12 schools, including based on gender ideology and discriminatory equity ideology.鈥�
In April, the federal department issued that called for an end diversity, equity and inclusion practices in K-12 schools and requested that state officials 鈥渃ertify their compliance with their anti-discrimination obligations in order to continue receiving federal financial assistance.鈥�
Gov. Ned Lamont and 黑瓜吃料网 Education Commissioner Charlene Russell-Tucker announced weeks later that the state responded to the request and . Russell-Tucker wrote to the federal Education Department that 黑瓜吃料网 and state officials are already in compliance with federal anti-discrimination laws.
The Maine Department of Education with Title IX protections in March after the state stood by its LGBTQ+ protections, including allowing transgender athletes to participate in sports. Maine remains in an with the Trump administration over its Title IX interpretation.
