The debate over transgender rights in American schools reached a fever pitch this August as the Trump administration moved to pull federal funding from multiple school districts in Virginia and California over their transgender bathroom and athletic participation policies. At the heart of the controversy are questions about fairness, inclusion, and the boundaries of federal and state authority—issues that have galvanized communities, drawn national attention, and left students and educators facing uncertainty.
On August 18, 2025, the U.S. Department of Education announced its intent to suspend or terminate federal financial assistance to five Northern Virginia school districts—Prince William, Fairfax, Alexandria, Arlington, and Loudoun counties—after they refused to rescind policies allowing students to use bathrooms and locker rooms that match their gender identity. According to Fox News, this decision followed an investigation by the Education Department’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR), which concluded that the districts’ policies violated Title IX, the federal law prohibiting sex-based discrimination in education.
In a statement shared with Fox News Digital, Education Department spokesperson Madi Biedermann explained, “The US Department of Education generously granted an extension for five Northern Virginia School Districts to come into compliance with Title IX and follow federal law – unfortunately, the additional time did not result in a fruitful outcome.” Biedermann added, “The Agency will commence administrative proceedings to effect the suspension or termination of federal financial assistance to these divisions. The Virginia districts will have to defend their embrace of radical gender ideology over ensuring the safety of their students.”
Loudoun County was the first to publicly declare its intention to keep its gender policy intact. In a closed-session meeting on August 13, the school board voted 6-3 to retain Policy 8040, which permits students to use facilities corresponding with their gender identity. The county stated, “After consultation with legal counsel, the Board voted 6-3 not to comply with this request due to the tension between the OCR position and current law. We will continue to monitor developments closely to ensure continued legal compliance and the protection of all students.”
Other districts echoed Loudoun’s stance. Fairfax County, now at risk of losing up to $160 million in federal funding, along with Arlington, Alexandria, and Prince William, requested that the Department of Education delay any funding cuts while legal questions are clarified in the courts. Arlington Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Francisco Duran and Board Chair Bethany Zecher Sutton wrote, “In responding to the US Department of Education, we have noted that the US Supreme Court will hear arguments this year and make a decision whether Title IX restricts or protects access to facilities based on gender identity. Until then, we will comply with current laws with respect to Title IX, including the Virginia Values Act.”
Alexandria Public Schools went further, rejecting the Education Department’s proposed resolution agreement as an “attempt to define transgender students out of existence.” The legal and cultural battle lines have been drawn, with both sides awaiting a pivotal Supreme Court ruling expected later this year.
The Trump administration’s actions in Virginia are part of a broader push to reverse Biden-era policies on transgender protections in education. Following his return to office in 2025, President Donald Trump has moved swiftly to roll back guidelines that expanded the rights of transgender students under Title IX.
Meanwhile, in California, a separate but related controversy erupted after President Trump threatened to withhold federal funding from the state over the participation of a transgender high school athlete, A.B. Hernandez, in the state’s girls’ track and field championships. According to CNN, A.B., a junior at Jurupa Valley High School in Southern California, placed first in long jump, high jump, and triple jump during the preliminary rounds on August 15, qualifying for the finals the next day.
As A.B. competed, a small but vocal group of protesters gathered outside the stadium in Clovis, waving signs like “Save Girls Sports” and cheering as a plane flew overhead with a banner declaring, “No Boys in Girls’ Sports.” The charged atmosphere reflected the intensity of the national debate. President Trump, referencing his February executive order “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports,” posted on Truth Social, “Please be hereby advised that large scale Federal Funding will be held back, maybe permanently, if the Executive Order on this subject matter is not adhered to.”
The California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) responded to the controversy by piloting a new rule for the 2025 championships: biological female athletes who would have qualified for the finals but for the participation of transgender students would also be given automatic entry. This measure, intended as a compromise, applied only to this year’s competition and left open questions about future policy.
A.B. Hernandez, thrust into the national spotlight, has faced harassment and protests at meets throughout August. According to Capital & Main, she’s been accompanied by campus security and sheriff’s deputies for her safety. Despite the backlash, A.B. told reporters, “There’s nothing I can do about people’s actions, just focus on my own. I’m still a child. You’re an adult, and for you to act like a child shows how you are as a person.” She added, “I’ve trained so hard. I mean, hours of conditioning every day, five days a week. Every day since November, three hours after school. And then all of summer, no summer break for me.”
Her mother, Nereyda Hernandez, has also spoken out, saying on Instagram, “It takes immense bravery to show up, compete, and be visible in a world that often questions your very right to exist, let alone to participate.” She condemned those who have “doxed, harassed and violated my daughter A.B.’s privacy” as creating a “hostile and unsafe environment for a minor.”
Support for A.B. has come from her teammates and many coaches. Keinan Briggs, who coaches athletes from several schools, told CNN, “She is getting better; she’s doing a great job. However, right now, the debate is where she should be competing.” Briggs argued that federal funding should be used to create resources and opportunities for all student athletes, not to penalize states or districts.
The Justice Department announced in August that it is investigating whether California’s School Success and Opportunity Act—which prohibits public schools from blocking transgender students from participating in school sports—violates federal Title IX law. The Jurupa Unified School District and CIF both maintain they are following state law and policy, which require participation consistent with a student’s gender identity.
Governor Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, acknowledged the complexity of the issue, stating during a March podcast, “Well, I think it’s an issue of fairness. I completely agree with you on that. It is an issue of fairness. It’s deeply unfair.”
As the legal battles play out and the Supreme Court prepares to weigh in, students, parents, and educators across the country are left in limbo—caught between conflicting laws, shifting policies, and deeply held beliefs. The outcome of these disputes will shape not only the future of Title IX enforcement but also the lived experiences of transgender students for years to come.