A federal civil rights investigation has been launched into three Michigan public school districts amid concerns over classroom content and student access to facilities, raising questions about parental rights and Title IX compliance.
The U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division announced Wednesday that Detroit Public Schools Community District, Godfrey-Lee Public Schools, and Lansing School District are under review, according to The Center Square.
Federal officials said the probe will examine whether the districts provide instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) in pre-K through 12th grade and whether parents are properly informed of their right to opt children out of such lessons.
Investigators will also assess whether students’ access to bathrooms and locker rooms aligned with their biological sex is being restricted.
The Trump administration’s guidance on Title IX emphasizes protections based on biological sex rather than gender identity.
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Civil Rights Division said the department is responding to what it sees as a growing trend.
“Supreme Court precedent is clear: parents have the right to direct the religious upbringing of their children, which includes exempting them from ideological instruction which conflicts with their families’ sincerely held religious beliefs,” Dhillon said.
“And Title IX demands that we guard the safety, dignity, and innocence of our youngest citizens—our children—by ensuring that they have unfettered access to bathrooms and locker rooms of their biological sex.”
The investigations follow the Michigan State Board of Education’s adoption in November 2025 of updated Michigan Health Education Standards Guidelines.
Approved in a 6-2 vote, the framework includes recommendations on teaching students about gender identity, sexual orientation, and broader sexual health topics.
Supporters said it promotes inclusivity, while critics argue it pressures districts to adopt content that may conflict with community values.
State Superintendent Dr. Glenn Maleyko defended the districts, emphasizing that parents retain control over sex education participation.
“The much-needed updates to health education guidelines—which the Department of Justice falsely said are state requirements—help local districts make decisions on how they can support student health,” he said, according to the Lansing State Journal. “Parents retain the right to decide whether their children should participate in sex education instruction.”
Republican lawmakers, including House Speaker Matt Hall, expressed support for the DOJ review.
“If they’re not following the law, then I hope the Department of Justice holds them accountable,” Hall said.
Conversely, Democratic lawmakers, such as State Reps. Kara Hope and Emily Dievendorf criticized the inquiry as politically motivated, warning it could disrupt classrooms and student privacy, MLive reported.
Letters sent to the districts request extensive documentation on sex education and LGBT-related content, including lesson plans, presentations, books, handouts, club materials, and events from Sept. 1, 2023, to the present.
Officials warned that failure to comply could lead to loss of federal funding or other enforcement actions.
The Civil Rights Division emphasized the investigations are in their early stages.
Dhillon reiterated the department’s commitment to enforcing civil rights protections while ensuring schools respect parental authority and student privacy.
“This Department of Justice is fiercely committed to ending the growing trend of local school authorities embedding sexuality and gender ideology in every aspect of public education,” she said.
