Federal Education Department Targets CVSD
Our district is one of 18 school districts in the U.S. being investigated for policies on trans athletes. School leaders say they're following Vermont law and will ensure students' safety.
The Record Staff
The U.S. Department of Education is investigating the Champlain Valley School District, the largest district in Vermont, for allowing students to participate in sports based on their gender identity rather than their biological sex. The federal department said the investigations were based on a complaint filed with its Office for Civil Rights (OCR).
The district received notice of the investigation by the Education Department’s Office for Civil Rights on Wednesday, Jan. 14. The district quickly released two memos to the schools community noting that the district is, in fact, following Vermont law and that it will do everything to ensure the safety and well-being of its students.
Seventeen other U.S. school entities – state departments of education, colleges and school departments and districts – are being investigated by the education department, according to its release. All but one are in states won by Kamala Harris in the last election.
In his message to the community, CVSD Superintendent Adam Bunting said, “as I write this, the sign that hangs on the whiteboard in my office feels especially meaningful. It reads: ‘You are just the child we hoped would show up. So welcome. We are glad you are here.’ I want to assure you and all of our students that we remain steadfast in our commitment to honoring the identities of every learner. We are grateful for each and every student in this district.
“Our mission calls on us to foster growth and belonging for all students. We work toward growth and belonging by ensuring engagement through the lenses of identity, connection, proficiency, and direction. In practice, this means we honor the identities of all students, including our transgender and gender non-conforming students. At the same time, we will openly and transparently cooperate with the OCR investigation as we stand strongly in our values.
“In the coming days,” Bunting continued, “we will prepare an official response to this investigation. In the meantime, please take care of yourselves and check in on others who may be distressed by this news. We are here, and we will continue to support one another. Do not hesitate to reach out.”
In making the announcement, Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Kimberly Richey declared: “In the same week that the Supreme Court hears oral arguments on the future of Title IX, OCR is aggressively pursuing allegations of discrimination against women and girls by entities which reportedly allow males to compete in women’s sports. Time and again, the Trump Administration has made its position clear: violations of women’s rights, dignity, and fairness are unacceptable.
“We will leave no stone unturned in these investigations to uphold women’s right to equal access in education programs – a fight that started over half a century ago and is far from finished.”
Bunting said that while communication from the OCR is not uncommon, a press release notifying the public about decisions pertaining to education is.
The school district serves about 3,700 students in Hinesburg, Charlotte, Shelburne, St. George and Williston. It was among the first in Vermont to craft a policy in 2023 affirming the rights of trans and gender-nonconforming students. The district’s policy was modified in 2025 in accordance with Vermont’s Public Accommodations Act.
Here is a .pdf of the district’s policy on transgender and gender non-conforming students (click to view or download):
“The Champlain Valley School District school board’s policies center on what’s best for our students and our community and are aligned with best practices and state guidance,” said CVSD school board chair Meghan Metzler in a statement. “We stand with our transgender and gender-nonconforming students and are dedicated to all of our students’ success, growth and belonging.”
In an interview, Bunting told VTDigger that regardless of the direction of the investigation, “we are absolutely committed to protecting the identity of our students. We also don’t feel that there’s anything that we have to hide.”
According to VTDigger, Student and advocacy groups are pushing back on what they see as further federal attacks on trans youth.
Aaliyah Washburn, coordinator of culture for the student-run statewide nonprofit group Vermont Student Anti-Racism Network, said she believes everyone has a right to play sports.
“As a college athlete, when I’m on the field or court, I’m not thinking about another player’s sexual orientation or gender identity, I’m focused on how I can support my team, improve, and win. That should be the reality for most athletes. Sports are about teamwork, growth, and competition, not policing who someone is,” she said in an email.
And in a newsletter this week, Outright Vermont Executive Director Dana Kaplan wrote that the continuing debate over transgender athletes’ participation in sports is “a distraction” and “disconnected from reality. … Transgender youth are not a talking point. They are real, brilliant, and amazing people” who deserve being supported and not attacked by adults politicizing the issue.