The U.S. Department of Education has opened Title IX investigations into two North Carolina school districts over policies related to transgender students’ access to restrooms and locker rooms, the latest move in the Trump administration’s broader effort to reinterpret federal sex discrimination protections.
The Department of Education announced June 17 that its Office for Civil Rights is investigating Buncombe County Schools following a parent complaint alleging that female students were being required to share restrooms with transgender girls. According to the department, the investigation will examine whether the district’s policies violate Title IX, the federal law that prohibits sex discrimination in educational programs receiving federal funding.
The Buncombe County investigation follows a similar inquiry announced June 1 involving Cabarrus County Schools.
Federal officials said the Cabarrus investigation was launched after complaints regarding the district’s handling of transgender students’ access to bathrooms and locker rooms. The issue has been the subject of months of debate in Cabarrus County, where parents, elected officials and community members have publicly disagreed over whether transgender students should be allowed to use facilities that align with their gender identity.
In a statement to WLOS, Buncombe County Schools said it would cooperate fully with the federal inquiry.
“BCS follows the law regarding students’ rights, ensuring all students have access to safe restrooms, locker rooms, and other school facilities,” the district said. “Our schools work with all students and families to ensure every student has access to facilities that meet their needs in a safe and private manner.”
Cabarrus County Schools has also indicated it is cooperating with the investigation, according to local reporting.
The investigations come as the Trump administration continues to use Title IX as a vehicle for challenging policies involving transgender students. Since returning to office, President Donald Trump has signed Executive Order 14168, which directs federal agencies to recognize two sexes, male and female, and to enforce federal laws consistent with that policy.
The Department of Education has argued that Title IX was intended to protect women and girls based on biological sex and has launched a series of investigations involving transgender students’ participation in sports and access to sex-separated facilities.
Supporters of transgender-inclusive policies argue that allowing students to use facilities that align with their gender identity is important for student safety, well-being and equal participation in school life. The National Center for Transgender Equality states that transgender people have long used public restrooms matching their gender identity without increases in public safety incidents and cites research finding no connection between trans-inclusive restroom policies and crimes in restrooms or locker rooms.
Research has also highlighted concerns about the experiences of transgender and nonbinary youth. A 2024 study found that avoiding public bathrooms was associated with higher rates of anxiety, depression and suicidal ideation among transgender and nonbinary young people. A study published in the Journal of Educational and Psychological Consultation found that transgender and nonbinary college students identified access to appropriate restroom facilities among their top priorities for creating safe and welcoming campuses. The Human Rights Campaign has similarly reported that many transgender youth do not feel safe using school restrooms.
Neither the Buncombe nor Cabarrus investigations have reached a conclusion, and federal officials have not publicly released details about the specific incidents that prompted the complaints.
For now, both districts remain under review as the administration’s evolving interpretation of Title IX continues to shape debates over transgender student rights in North Carolina and across the country.
