DOJ investigation hits northern Illinois schools over classroom content questions

The U.S. Department of Justice says it is investigating dozens of Illinois school districts – including several in northern Illinois – over how they handle lessons related to sexual orientation and gender identity, and whether parents are being notified of opt-out rights.

The inquiries, announced by the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, target 36 public school systems across the state. Among them are DeKalb School District 428, Crystal Lake-based Community High School District 155, Oregon Community Unit School District 220, Freeport School District 145, and Will County School District 92.

Federal officials say the investigations will look at whether districts include sexual orientation and gender identity in classroom instruction from prekindergarten through 12th grade, and if so, whether parents are informed that they can opt their children out.

The probe is also expected to examine district policies on access to bathrooms, locker rooms, and sports teams.

In a news release, Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon said the division is focused on ensuring parents are not “kept in the dark” about classroom instruction and that schools follow federal law, including Title IX.

The Justice Department emphasized that the investigations are preliminary and that no findings have been made.

The announcement did not include specific allegations against individual districts, and it is unclear how many — if any — have received formal notice of the inquiry or what prompted their inclusion on the list.