“These threats to the rights and wellbeing of transgender and nonbinary students are the latest wave of efforts to erase transgender and nonbinary children from society and they will not be the last,” according to Equality Arlington’s letter. “APS must keep fighting back on behalf of these vulnerable students and continue prioritizing student safety, bodily autonomy, and authenticity in their lived identities.”

The letter was in response to a mandate from the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights alleging that five Northern Virginia school systems were in violation of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 by discriminating on the basis of sex.

The allegations stem from an OCR investigation in February that found Alexandria City Public Schools, Arlington Public Schools, Fairfax County Public Schools, Loudoun County Public Schools, and Prince William County Public Schools hadsimilar anti-discrimination policies pertaining to ‘transgender-identifying” students, which violate the sex-based protections of Title IX.

The education department’s complaint also alleges that the school systems are the subject of lawsuits, informal complaints and reports concerning students avoiding using school restrooms in order to not witness “male students inappropriately touching other students and watching female students change in a female locker room.”

“Although this type of behavior was tolerated by the previous Administration, it’s time for Northern Virginia’s experiment with radical gender ideology and unlawful discrimination to come to an end. OCR’s investigation definitively shows that these five Virginia school districts have been trampling on the rights of students in the service of an extreme political ideology,” said Acting Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Craig Trainor. “The Trump Administration will not sacrifice the safety, dignity, and innocence of America’s young women and girls at the altar of an anti-scientific illiberalism.”

The education department gave the six school systems 10 days to adopt the following resolution agreement issued by OCR or risk enforcement action:

(i) Rescind the policies and/or regulations that allow students to access intimate facilities based on their “gender identity” rather than their sex;

(ii) Issue a memorandum to each Division school explaining that any future policies related to access to intimate facilities must be consistent with Title IX by separating students strictly on the basis of sex, and that Title IX ensures women’s equal opportunity in any education program or activity including athletic programs; and

(iii) Adopt biology-based definitions of the words “male” and “female” in all practices and policies relating to Title IX.

As justification for its request, the education department referendum the June 18 decision by the U.S. Supreme Court to uphold a Tennessee law banning medical care for minors to treat gender dysphoria, gender identity disorder, or gender incongruence,” as well as laws “regulating medical treatment or procedures in this realm are subject to rational basis review rather than heighted scrutiny under the Equal Protection Clause.”

Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) and Attorney General Jason Miyares (R) issued statements following the release of the education department’s mandate.

“These school divisions have been violating federal law, deliberately neglecting their responsibility to protect students’ safety, privacy and dignity, and ignoring parents’ rights,” Youngkin said. “They got away with this behavior because the Biden Administration backed them up. Commonsense is back, with biological boys and girls in their own locker rooms and bathrooms, and boys out of girls sports.”

The governor added that he had ordered Miyares to investigate Title IX violations in Loudoun County based on a WJLA report.

“School officials shockingly targeted boys who were expressing their concern that a biological girl was being allowed in the boys locker room,” Youngkin said. “It is time for these school leaders to do the right thing for students and parents. I thank President Trump and Secretary McMahon for their actions in defense of student safety, privacy and dignity.”

Related: Loudoun County Schools Misused Authority In Trans Locker Room Case, AG Says

In a statement sent to Patch in May, LCPS officials said the WJLA report had misleading claims “presented in a biased manner from a single source.”

“To be absolutely clear: Loudoun County Public Schools would not investigate or discipline students based on their personal opinions, thoughts, or beliefs, provided those expressions do not violate policies prohibiting hate speech, discriminatory language, threats, or other forms of harmful or disruptive conduct,” the school system stated. “However, LCPS does investigate and may take disciplinary action when student behavior violates LCPS’ Student Rights & Responsibilities Handbook for Families and Student Code of Conduct.”

In Arlington County, it was imperative that APS continue to stand up for the community’s values of dignity and rights for all students, according to Equality Arlington.

“Every victory in this fight improves the life of a vulnerable student,” according to Equality Arlington’s letter. “In this time when LGBTQIA+ students and their families are scared for their future, they need to see that their community is fighting for them. APS must continue to do the right thing, even when it’s hard.”

Patch reached out to APS for a statement about Equality Arlington’s letter and the Department of Education’s mandate. This story will be updated when a response is received.

The following is the full text of the Equality Arlington letter to Arlington School Board Chair Bethany Sutton and APS Superintendent Dr. Francisco Durán: