DOJ probe targets Illinois school districts over gender policies, curriculum, parent opt-outs

The U.S. Department of Justice said 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.

A spokesman for Gov. JB Pritzker’s office released a statement denouncing the DOJ’s move as a “sham.”

“The Trump Administration continues to punish states the President does not like, and this is yet another sham investigation carried out by an office with no regard for the rule of law or the well-being of the American people,” according to the statement. “The Civil Rights Division used to investigate actual discrimination concerns to ensure all individuals are treated equally under the law, but they’re now focused on belittling the rights and humanity of LGBTQ+ communities.”

In DeKalb, a District 428 spokesperson confirmed that the district had received written correspondence from the DOJ.

“In this letter, the DOJ informed the district of its intent to request additional information as part of a compliance review investigation pursuant to Title IX,” according to the district’s statement. “DeKalb CUSD 428 is diligent in its efforts to comply with all applicable federal and state laws. The District will, of course, work collaboratively with the DOJ as part of the agency’s compliance review.”

It is unclear whether the Illinois Attorney General’s Office will get involved. A representative for Attorney General Kwame Raoul said the office is “aware of the matter” and is “monitoring the situation.”