The Trump administration took the next step toward revoking tens of millions of dollars in federal funding from Jeffco Public Schools on Friday, sending letters of “impending enforcement action” over the Colorado school district’s policies for transgender students.
Jeffco Public Schools officials are now calling on Colorado’s top government and education leaders — Gov. Jared Polis, Attorney General Phil Weiser and state education Commissioner Susana Córdova — to jump into the fray, the district said in a news release.
Jeffco Public Schools wants Polis, Weiser and Córdova “to publicly affirm that the district’s actions are consistent with Colorado law and partner with the district to address the conflict between Colorado law and (the Office of Civil Rights’) nonbinding interpretation,” district officials said in a statement.
U.S. Department of Education officials have accused the Jefferson County school district of violating by allowing transgender students to compete in female sports and use girls’ bathrooms.
Jeffco officials have denied those allegations.
In a news release Friday, the federal agency gave Jeffco Public Schools 10 days to comply or face enforcement action, including administrative enforcement, referral to the U.S. Department of Justice and a loss of federal funding. It’s the third time the Education Department has given Jeffco a 10-day deadline to change its policies.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
