The disagreement between New York City and the U.S. Department of Education continues as the city has filed a lawsuit to retain $47 million in federal funding for its magnet schools. The Department of Education, led by Secretary Linda McMahon, is using Title IX to challenge the city's policies that support transgender and gender-expansive students. According to a statement published by the Office of the Mayor, New York contends that the DOE’s decision to revoke the funds violates legal standards and disregards established administrative procedures.
The conflict began last month when the U.S. Department of Education instructed New York City Public Schools to change their bathroom and locker room policies for transgender students, which contradicts local and state laws. The city’s legal complaint states that the department acted abruptly without providing the required notice or opportunity for a hearing under Title IX rules. New York City Corporation Counsel Muriel Goode-Trufant said in the official announcement, “The effort by the U.S. Department of Education to strip our school system of this grant funding violates statutorily-required process and conflicts with longstanding legal precedent regarding the interpretation of Title IX.” The $47 million in federal funding supports magnet schools that primarily serve Hispanic and Black students from low-income neighborhoods, offering specialized programs in science, technology, journalism, and civic engagement.
Faced with the DOE’s three-day deadline to change policies, New York City Public Schools maintained its protections for transgender and gender-expansive students and chose to pursue legal action. Chancellor Melissa Aviles-Ramos stated that the DOE’s threat to withhold millions in magnet funding unless these protections were removed is contrary to federal, state, and local laws. She also noted the district’s commitment to supporting the academic and social development of all students, including those in magnet programs and transgender and gender-expansive students.
The city says that protections for students’ identities are part of its non-discrimination policies. The DOE’s funding cut was made without prior notice, affecting school budgets and creating uncertainty for the 2025-2026 school year. In response, New York City is seeking a preliminary injunction to keep the funding in place while the case is ongoing. The lawsuit claims that the DOE did not follow required Title IX procedures and violated state laws protecting the rights of transgender and gender-expansive students to use facilities that match their gender identity.
