Cromwell Board issues statement on OCR Title IX probe, defers action on district transgender policy

The Cromwell Board of Education approved a statement and said it will not sign OCR's proposed resolution agreement as written and will defer further action on the district's transgender and gender nonconforming youth policy (identified in meeting materials as policy 514553). The board said it had asked OCR for an extension to review the proposed terms and said it would continue discussions with state agencies before changing district policy.

The board said the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights opened a directed investigation and notified Superintendent Dr. Macri on May 2, 2025, and that OCR identified compliance concerns on May 29, 2025 and issued a proposed resolution agreement that included a response deadline of June 5, 2025. The board's statement said the proposed agreement, as written, would require immediate withdrawal of Cromwell student athletes from CIAC-sponsored postseason events and contains terms the district believes conflict with Connecticut General Statute 10-153 and other legal interpretations the district is reviewing.

Why it matters: the board said the proposed OCR agreement…