The U.S. Department of Education is investigating the Hawaiʻi Department of Education and 17 other school districts and institutions over their policies allowing transgender students to participate in school athletics.
The department’s Office for Civil Rights opened Title IX investigations alleging that these institutions, all in Democratic-majority states, may be discriminating based on sex by permitting athletes to compete according to gender identity rather than biological sex.
Hawaiʻi’s state law prohibits discrimination based on gender identity, and the education department allows transgender students to join sports teams matching their gender identity.
Donald Trump’s administration issued an executive order in February barring schools from allowing transgender athletes to compete in women’s sports.
Nanea Ching, spokesperson for the state Department of Education, said the agency is reviewing the matter and will not comment further until that review is complete.
The U.S. Supreme Court this week heard arguments in cases from Idaho and West Virginia challenging bans on transgender athletes in school sports.
Separately, Maui Preparatory Academy, a private school, faces two lawsuits in 2nd Circuit Court over a 2024 policy requiring transgender students to participate on teams and use bathrooms based on birth gender.
Fewer than 10 transgender students participate in high school sports in Hawaiʻi each year, said Christopher Chun, head of the Hawaiʻi High School Athletic Association.
