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New York City has filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Education following a decision to cut over $35 million in federal grants. The funding was withdrawn due to the city's policies allowing transgender students to use bathrooms and locker rooms that align with their gender identity. The Trump administration claims these policies violate Title IX, which prohibits sex-based discrimination in educational institutions receiving federal funds.
The lawsuit, filed in Manhattan federal court, argues that the funding cut was improper and did not follow required legal procedures. According to The New York Times, New York City Corporation Counsel Muriel Goode-Trufant stated that the federal government's actions have disrupted the education of approximately 7,700 students across 19 schools.
The grants, distributed through the Magnet Schools Assistance Program, support diverse educational programs in technology, engineering, and the arts. New York City officials, including Public Schools Chancellor Melissa Aviles-Ramos, argue that the federal decision contradicts state and local laws, which protect transgender students' rights. Aviles-Ramos stated, "U.S. DOE’s threat to cut off tens of millions of dollars in magnet funding unless we canceled our protections for transgender and gender-expansive students is contrary to federal, state, and local law."
The federal Education Department has dismissed the lawsuit as meritless, maintaining that New York City's policies violate the rights of female students under Title IX. The city seeks to restore the funding and argues that the federal government's reinterpretation of Title IX is unsupported by law. The lawsuit is accompanied by a motion for a preliminary injunction to prevent the funding cut while the case is resolved.
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