Portland school district under federal investigation for allowing teen boy to dominate girls' track and field

The Department of Education announced it has notified the Portland Public Schools district that it has opened an investigation for possible Title IX violations.

The federal agency said it sent a letter to Superintendent Dr. Kimberlee Armstrong notifying her of an investigation by the Office for Civil Rights after a male high school student was allowed to compete in a girls' track and field competition and use the female locker room while female athletes were changing.

A male competing with and changing in front of females would be a violation of President Trump's executive order to keep males out of women's sports.

'OCR will use every lawful means to ensure that no female athlete is denied equal athletic opportunities ...'

On March 19, a male athlete who identifies as a girl was able to win the girls' 400-meter varsity race and even finished more than seven seconds ahead of the competition. Aayden "Ada" Gallagher, an 11th-grade sprinter from McDaniel High School in Portland, also won the girls' 200-meter race, marking the second straight year he dominated the two girls' categories at the regional level. Gallagher also won the girls' 200-meter sprint at the Oregon state finals in 2024.

"We will not allow the Portland Public Schools District or any other educational entity that receives federal funds to trample on the antidiscrimination protections that women and girls are guaranteed under law," Craig Trainor, acting assistant secretary for civil rights, said in a press release. "President Trump and Secretary McMahon have been steadfast in their commitment to protect the rights of women and girls. OCR will use every lawful means to ensure that no female athlete is denied equal athletic opportunities or robbed of her rightful accolades."

The Department of Education cited the Gender Participation Policy of the Oregon School Activities Association, which is followed by the Portland school district and allows student athletes to compete under their "consistently asserted gender identity."

The state entity said it bases its rules on the understanding of gender identity and expression, "evolving law, and societal norms."

The policy has also determined that once a transgender student has notified a school of the student's gender identity, the student shall be "consistently treated as that gender for purposes of eligibility for athletics and activities."

However, "nonbinary or intersex" students are to be treated as "either gender."

The governing body even described "sexual orientation" in the document, despite this having no effect on athletic activities.

The Office for Civil Rights said it had previously made it clear that federal discrimination law pre-empts state law and that Title IX prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in any education program or activity receiving federal financial assistance.

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