Ohio School Districts Under Investigation for Policies on Transgender Students

Administrators from two Ohio school districts allegedly told undercover journalists that they would allow male students to access female sports and facilities. Moreover, they indicated they would assist in concealing their identities if parents requested it, according to a recent complaint.

Protect the Public’s Trust (PPT) has filed a Title IX complaint after hidden camera footage surfaced, revealing the statements made by officials at Springfield City School District (SCSD) and Norwood City School District (NCSD). This complaint was submitted to several government departments, including the Department of Education, after being obtained by the Daily Caller News Foundation.

During the footage, SCSD secretary Kelly Kromlish tells investigators posing as parents that, “if we’re going to register as a woman, she’s going to play sports as a woman.” She further mentioned that the decision to disclose a student’s gender should rest with the parents, suggesting it would be “discriminatory” for the school to reveal such information. Kromlish advised those inquiring to “just go with the flow.”

At NCSD, another video showed Secretary Kelly Cornelius advising an undercover journalist not to disclose the biological sex of a fictitious transgender child. In her remarks, she described a “weird culture of ‘don’t ask, don’t tell,'” while asserting that most teachers would honor a student’s identified gender. She also stated that a boy could use the women’s bathroom since he is listed as “female on his birth certificate.”

Neither school district provided a response to requests for comment from the Daily Caller News Foundation.

The complaint asserts that forcing girls into situations where they could see male genitals, even if no undressing occurs, constitutes sexual harassment. It contends that this could create fear and discomfort, which could lead to significant issues, particularly in areas affecting girls’ athletic opportunities.

PPT stated that the school has demonstrated a “deliberate indifference to the harassment,” and added that the disregard for state law and Title IX highlights a concerning trend in educational institutions. PPT Director Michael Chamberlain remarked, “The unfortunate truth is that too many of the people we trust to educate our children stick to the same fads…regardless of where the majority of opinion in a particular community lies.”

Similar practices have been reported in at least two other Ohio districts, which have also faced federal complaints from PPT.

Ohio law mandates that school facilities be determined by biological sex and prohibits gender reassignment procedures for minors, including hormone blockers. An executive order signed by former President Trump also prevents men from participating in women’s sports, reaffirming federal recognition of just two biological sexes.