{"id":2557629,"date":"2026-01-29T23:15:01","date_gmt":"2026-01-30T04:15:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/court-weighs-funding-feud-over-virginia-schools-transgender-bathroom-policies-17\/"},"modified":"2026-01-29T23:16:40","modified_gmt":"2026-01-30T04:16:40","slug":"court-weighs-funding-feud-over-virginia-schools-transgender-bathroom-policies-17","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/court-weighs-funding-feud-over-virginia-schools-transgender-bathroom-policies-17\/","title":{"rendered":"Court weighs funding feud over Virginia schools&#8217; transgender bathroom policies"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">20<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fcourt-weighs-funding-feud-over-virginia-schools-transgender-bathroom-policies-17%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2557629&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>A federal appeals court heard a challenge to the Trump governance\u2019s decision to label Fairfax and Arlington County public schools \u201chigh risk\u201d for federal education funding after the districts adopted <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/winsome-earle-sears-pressures-spanberger-over-loudoun-policy-standoff-washington-examiner\/\" title=\"Winsome Earle-Sears pressures Spanberger over Loudoun policy standoff - Washington Examiner\">policies allowing transgender students<\/a> to use bathrooms and locker rooms consistent with their gender identity. Instead of cutting funds, the Department of Education put the districts on a reimbursement-only payment system, saying the policies likely violate Title IX. The school systems sued, arguing the department is misreading Title IX and unlawfully coercing local policy changes, and they cite the 4th Circuit\u2019s Grimm v. Gloucester County decision. A district judge dismissed the suit as governed by the Supreme Court\u2019s Department of Education v. California decision,which requires grant-related disputes to be brought in the U.S. Court of Federal Claims under the Tucker Act. On appeal the districts say they seek judicial review of agency action under the Administrative Procedure Act; the government counters that Supreme Court precedent treats grant conditions as contractual and places the dispute in contract law. Judges on the panel probed both jurisdictional and substantive issues, and an amicus brief from America First Legal backed the government\u2019s view. The case is one of several recent enforcement actions over school transgender policies; the appeals court offered no immediate ruling.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Judges weigh Title IX funding fight over Virginia schools&rsquo; pro-transgender bathroom policies<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_2449278\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>A federal appeals court on Thursday weighed the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/trump-administration\/\">Trump administration<\/a>&rsquo;s use of federal education funding to pressure two major Northern <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/virginia\/\">Virginia<\/a> school systems to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/court-weighs-funding-feud-over-virginia-schools-transgender-bathroom-policies\/\" title=\"... weighs funding feud over Virginia schools&#039; ... bathroom ...\">abandon policies allowing students<\/a> who identify as transgender to use bathrooms and locker rooms of their choosing.<\/p>\n<p>The case before the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals stems from a move by the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/department-of-education\/\">Department of Education<\/a> last summer to designate <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/fairfax-county\/\">Fairfax County<\/a> and <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/3787762\/fairfax-arlington-schools-sue-trump-administration-transgender-bathroom-policy\/\">Arlington County<\/a> public schools as &ldquo;high risk&rdquo; recipients of federal funds. The designation followed the department&rsquo;s determination that the districts&rsquo; policies allowing <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/transgender\/\">transgender<\/a> students to <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >access sex-segregated facilities based<\/a> on gender identity likely violate <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/title-ix\/\">Title IX<\/a>, which conditions federal funding on compliance with sex discrimination rules.<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/education\/4438892\/doj-seeks-join-lawsuit-accusing-ucla-medical-school-illegally-basing-admissions-race\/\">DOJ seeks to join lawsuit accusing UCLA&#8217;s medical school of illegally basing admissions on race<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/education\/4438300\/education-department-california-schools-gender-transitions\/\">Education Department finds California schools hid students&rsquo; gender transitions from parents<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/education\/4437454\/california-university-violation-title-ix-transgender-athlete-policy-retaliation-against-critics\/\">California university found in violation of Title IX over transgender athlete policy and retaliation against critics<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Fairfax County Public School buses idle at a middle school in Falls Church, Va., July 20, 2020. (AP Photo\/J. Scott Applewhite, File)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Rather than cutting off funds outright, the department placed the districts on a reimbursement-only system, delaying payments unless the schools change their restroom and locker room policies.<\/p>\n<p>The school divisions sued, arguing the federal government is misinterpreting Title IX and unlawfully using federal funding to coerce local policy changes. They contend their policies are required by the 4th Circuit&rsquo;s 2020 ruling in&nbsp;<em><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/law.justia.com\/cases\/federal\/appellate-courts\/ca4\/19-1952\/19-1952-2020-08-26.html\">Grimm v. Gloucester County School Board<\/a><\/em>, which <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.aclu.org\/cases\/grimm-v-gloucester-county-school-board\">LGBT advocates<\/a> cite as having found that policies which bar transgender students from bathrooms aligned with gender identity violate federal law.<\/p>\n<p>U.S. District Judge Rossie Alston, an appointee of President <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/donald-trump\/\">Donald Trump<\/a>, dismissed the lawsuit earlier this year, citing the Supreme Court&rsquo;s decision in <em><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.supremecourt.gov\/opinions\/24pdf\/24a910_f2bh.pdf\">Department of Education v. California<\/a><\/em>. That ruling held that disputes &ldquo;founded upon&rdquo; federal grant agreements are contractual in nature and must be brought in the U.S. Court of Federal Claims under the Tucker Act, not in federal district court.<\/p>\n<p>The school divisions appealed, arguing their case seeks judicial review of unlawful agency action under the Administrative Procedure Act.<\/p>\n<p>During Thursday&rsquo;s argument, Timothy Heaphy, an attorney representing the districts, said the dispute centers on statutory interpretation and not contract enforcement.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;What it involves is not the terms of a contract,&rdquo; Heaphy told the panel, &ldquo;but rather the substantive interpretation of Title IX and the equal protection clause.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/department-of-justice\/\">Justice Department<\/a> lawyer Abhishek Kambli pushed back on Heaphy&rsquo;s argument, arguing the recent Supreme Court precedent foreclosed attempts to separate grant conditions from grant contracts.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Their argument that grants are not contracts &mdash; that&rsquo;s foreclosed by recent Supreme Court precedent,&rdquo; Kambli said, adding that the districts would not be in court absent the funding consequences.<\/p>\n<p>U.S. Circuit Judge Allison Rushing, a Trump appointee, pressed the government on whether Title IX itself contemplates judicial review outside the U.S. Court of Federal Claims, noting that the statute provides specific procedures for appealing funding enforcement actions.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Why wouldn&rsquo;t the district court have jurisdiction over any part of this suit?&rdquo; Rushing asked, questioning whether the Education Department&rsquo;s &ldquo;high risk&rdquo; designation could be challenged independently of funding disputes.<\/p>\n<p>U.S. Circuit Judge Julius Richardson, also appointed by Trump, appeared more receptive to the government&rsquo;s position, suggesting that adding conditions to federal grants places the dispute squarely within contract law, even if those conditions are justified by Title IX.<\/p>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/america-first-legal\/\">America First Legal<\/a>, a pro-Trump law group that filed an amicus brief supporting the federal government, argued the school divisions are misreading&nbsp;<em>Grimm v. Gloucester County School Board<\/em>. The group said the case &ldquo;turn[s] on the meaning of Title IX with respect to school restroom and locker room policies&rdquo; and noted that it has &ldquo;taken a contrary position on the meaning of&nbsp;<em>Grimm<\/em>&nbsp;in several cases.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>AFL also argued that the districts are attempting to bypass Supreme Court precedent governing federal grants by reframing a funding dispute as a civil rights challenge.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/transgender\/\">EDUCATION DEPARTMENT FINDS CALIFORNIA SCHOOLS HID STUDENTS&rsquo; GENDER TRANSITIONS FROM PARENTS<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The case comes as the Trump administration ramps up enforcement against school districts with progressive transgender policies, including with a recent Justice Department lawsuit against neighboring Loudoun County <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/opa\/pr\/justice-department-sues-loudoun-county-violating-equal-protection-christian-students\">over alleged equal protection violations<\/a> against <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/christianity\/\">Christian<\/a> students.<\/p>\n<p>Chief U.S. Circuit Judge Albert Diaz, an appointee of President Barack Obama, rounded out the panel, which did not indicate when it would rule.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Appeals court reviews Title IX fight over VA schools<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2633,"featured_media":2557630,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/AP24240811743600.webp?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[538],"tags":[65728,35159,72250],"class_list":["post-2557629","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-washington-examiner","tag-bathroom-policies","tag-transgender-rights","tag-virginia-schools"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/AP24240811743600.webp?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2557629","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2633"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2557629"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2557629\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2557633,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2557629\/revisions\/2557633"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2557630"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2557629"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2557629"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2557629"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}