We are writing in response to the July 25, 2025, action by the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights (OCR), which declared that five school districts across Northern Virginia are in violation of Title IX due to policies that affirm the identities and rights of transgender and gender-expansive students.

We recognize that this puts all school districts, including Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS), in a precarious position. However, we also believe that this moment calls for clarity, courage, and a renewed commitment to our shared values of equity and nondiscrimination.

ACPS has long upheld policies that affirm and support transgender and nonbinary students, not because of political motivations, but because these policies align with the law, educational best practices, and the moral obligation to create safe and inclusive learning environments. As legal precedent in the Grimm v. Gloucester County School Board case has affirmed, Title IX and the Equal Protection Clause protect transgender students’ rights in schools, including access to facilities and activities consistent with their gender identity.

We understand the legal complexity and potential consequences of rejecting OCR’s resolution. However, the consequences of abandoning our commitment to all students—particularly those most vulnerable—are far more significant. These families and students are exceptionally vulnerable right now, with some losing their gender affirming healthcare at National Children’s Medical Hospital and at other locations. Rolling back inclusive policies would not only send a dangerous message to transgender and gender-diverse students but would also actively jeopardize their safety, dignity, and mental health. These harms are well-documented and deeply concerning.

We urge ACPS leadership to remain steadfast in its commitment to its current nondiscrimination policies and practices. These measures do not harm any student, in fact they protect all students' privacy, reduce bullying, and support a school climate where everyone has the chance to thrive.

We also understand that ACPS may choose to approach this issue cautiously and with rigorous legal review. But this is not a time to passively comply with mandates that contradict both our values and binding legal precedent. Instead, we ask that ACPS make clear, publicly and unequivocally, that it will not retreat from its responsibility to protect every student in its care.

Our schools must remain safe places of learning. We hope ACPS will stand with its students, families, and community members and help draw a line that says clearly: the rights, safety, and dignity of all students matter.