Overview

• The Defense of Freedom Institute and Liberty Justice Center filed a federal civil rights complaint against the Illinois State Board of Education and Chicago Public Schools on March 18, 2025.
• The complaint claims that policies allowing transgender students to use facilities aligned with their gender identity violate Title IX and compromise student privacy and safety.
• It also alleges that the policies prevent schools from notifying parents about a student’s gender identity, infringing on parental rights.
• The groups are urging the U.S. Department of Education to investigate and potentially withhold federal funding if the policies are not revised to comply with federal law.
• The Illinois State Board of Education declined to comment, and Chicago Public Schools has not yet issued a public response to the complaint.