Denver Public Schools has been placed under investigation by the U.S. Department of Education for replacing a women’s restroom with an “all-gender” facility.
On Tuesday, the Education Department’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) announced that it will be looking into the Denver Public Schools District for allegedly discriminating against its female students after converting a female bathroom into an “all-gender” bathroom at one of its largest high schools.
“As a result, East High School now has an exclusive restroom for male students and no restroom for female students on its second floor,” acting Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Craig Trainor wrote in a letter to the city’s superintendent.
According to OCR, the school district also installed all-gender restrooms at the Denver School of the Arts and CEC Early College, both of which serve grades 6-12.
The letter cited an East High School parent who claimed during a school board meeting that the district had “sacrificed the comfort of these young females for this dubious change by now limiting their options.”
OCR warned that these facilities could potentially be in violation of Title IX regulations which “prohibit discrimination on the basis of sex in any education program or activity operated by a recipient of federal financial assistance from the Department.”
“The alarming report that the Denver Public Schools District denied female students a restroom comparable with their male counterparts appears to directly violate the civil rights of the District’s female students,” Trainor said in a press release. “Let me be clear: it is a new day in America, and under President Trump, OCR will not tolerate discrimination of any kind. I have directed OCR’s Denver regional office to investigate this matter fully.”
In a statement to Fox News Digital, a Denver Public Schools spokesperson said in a statement that they are aware of the investigation and added that the all-gender facility was the result of “a student-led process that reflects our commitment to inclusivity and student voice, leadership, and empowerment, providing a welcoming space for all.”
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“This restroom serves all students, including those who may feel uncomfortable in gender-specific facilities and aligns with our values of supporting every student. The faculty of East High School has developed a plan to supervise and monitor this lavatory, just as they do with all others. Currently, East High School has designated restrooms for male and female students in addition to the all-gender lavatory,” the statement read.
It continued, “It is unprecedented for the Office for Civil Rights to admittedly initiate its own investigation, into a single bathroom, as a result of local media coverage rather than in response to a filed complaint requesting their involvement.”
