Rochester Schools Named in Request for Federal Investigation

Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News) - A conservative legal advocacy group is asking the federal government to investigate 16 public school systems in Minnesota, including the Rochester School District.

Rochester Schools Among Districts Named

The Upper Midwest Law Center announced today that it has asked the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights to investigate the Minnesota public school districts over sexual identity policies. The letter claims those policies violate federal Title IX law, the U.S. Constitution and federal executive orders.

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What the Federal Complaint Alleges

The organization says it sent letters to Rochester Public Schools and the 15 other districts listed in the news release, informing them of "likely legal violations." The Upper Midwest Law Center argues that those violations involve policies allowing boys to participate in girls' sports, use girls' restrooms and locker rooms, and share overnight accommodations with girls based on their stated sexual identity preferences. The organization also contends that several of the school districts listed in the letter "allow or require schools to socially transition students through name and pronoun changes without parental notice or consent."

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"These districts are violating federal law, ignoring recent Supreme Court guidance, and sidelining parents from decisions involving their own children," said Brent Robbins, senior counsel for religious liberty at the Upper Midwest Law Center. "Title IX protects women and girls. The Constitution protects parents' rights. Minnesota school districts do not get to erase those protections through internal policies, and the federal government should act."

The 16 Minnesota School Districts Listed

The 15 other Minnesota public school systems listed are:

• St. Paul Public Schools
• Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan Public Schools
• Minneapolis Public Schools
• Anoka-Hennepin School District
• Osseo Area Schools
• Robbinsdale Public Schools
• North St. Paul-Maplewood-Oakdale School District
• Bloomington Public Schools
• Duluth Public Schools
• White Bear Lake Area School District
• Burnsville-Eagan-Savage School District
• Moorhead Area Public Schools
• Hopkins Public Schools
• Richfield Public Schools
• St. Louis Park Public Schools

Kim David TSM

Rochester School District Reviewing Information

A spokesperson for Rochester Public Schools said today that the school district had just received the information and is currently reviewing the facts. Any statement or response will have to wait until the review is completed.

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