Office of Civil Rights opens investigation into Oregon Department of Education
The Oregon Department of Education is being investigated for alleged Title IX violations over male athletes in girls’ sports.
This is the second investigation into Oregon's athletic policies opened this year.
The U.S. Department of Education has opened a civil rights investigation into the Oregon Department of Education (ODE) following allegations that the state’s policies allow male students to compete in female athletics, potentially violating federal protections for women under Title IX.
The investigation, announced by the Department’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR), was prompted by a formal complaint submitted by the America First Policy Institute (AFPI), a nonprofit legal and policy organization focused on restoring constitutional protections in education.
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The complaint challenges ODE’s current adherence to Oregon’s nondiscrimination laws, which permit students to participate in athletics based on gender identity rather than biological sex.
According to AFPI, Oregon’s policy has resulted in female athletes losing medals, rankings, and competitive opportunities to biologically male students.
The complaint further alleges school officials pressured girls to stay silent, creating a chilling effect on speech.
While Oregon law bars exclusion based on gender identity, federal officials argue that such policies conflict with Title IX, which prohibits sex-based discrimination in federally funded education.
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Acting Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Craig Trainor said the administration would not tolerate schools “trampling upon women’s rights.”
This marks the second Title IX investigation into Oregon’s athletic policies in recent months, as the Trump administration continues rolling back Biden-era gender directives in education.