Illinois Representative Calls for Federal Funding Cut Over Transgender Student Locker Room Dispute
Rep. Mary Miller, a Republican representing Illinois, is urging former President Donald Trump to withdraw all federal funding from the Deerfield School District 109, citing allegations that a student was pressured to change in front of a transgender student in the girls’ locker room. The controversy stems from a complaint lodged by a mother, Nicole Georgas, who claims school administrators attempted to force her daughter and other female students to change their clothes in the girls’ locker room while a transgender student was present.
Miller took to social media to voice her outrage, describing the alleged incident as a “egregious violation” of the girls’ privacy and a direct contradiction of Trump’s previous executive order designed to keep transgender individuals out of women’s and girls’ sports. The executive order, issued during Trump’s presidency, sought to define sex based on biological characteristics at birth, effectively banning transgender individuals from participating in sports teams that align with their gender identity.
“Forcing young girls to undress in front of a biological male is not just perverted—its an egregious violation of their privacy and President Trumps executive order to protect girls in female-only spaces,” Miller stated in her online post. She amplified her stance by directly calling on former President Trump to intervene. “I urge President Trump to immediately pull all federal funding from the Deerfield School District! I stand firmly with Nicole Georgas, a bold and courageous Illinois mother, in defending the rights of our daughters.”
The call for action follows Georgas’s impassioned plea during a recent Board of Education meeting for Deerfield Public School District 109. Georgas shared her concerns with the board, asserting that her 13-year-old daughter and other students felt uncomfortable and unsafe changing in front of a transgender student. “The girls want their locker rooms and bathrooms back. They want their privacy back. This is why I’m here tonight. My 13-year-old daughter’s well-being, mental health, and privacy are at stake,” Georgas said during the meeting, emphasizing the emotional toll the situation was taking on her daughter.
Georgas explained that the issue initially arose in early February when her daughter expressed discomfort about sharing the girls’ bathroom with a transgender student. According to Georgas, school administrators subsequently informed the family that a student who identifies as female is permitted to use both the girls’ bathroom and the female locker room. The situation escalated when Georgas’s daughter refused to change in the girls’ locker room in the presence of the transgender student. Other students joined in the protest, leading to the alleged intervention of school administrators.
Georgas claims that administrators and teachers entered the girls’ locker room and pressured the girls to change into their physical education uniforms, despite their objections. "That day, [Assistant Superintendent for Student Services] Joanna Ford, [Assistant Principal] Cathy Van Treese, and multiple teachers all came into the girls locker room, making them change into uniform. This went on all week," she stated. She also noted that her daughter maintained her refusal to participate.
In response to the alleged incident, Georgas has filed a civil rights complaint with the Justice Department, seeking to address what she believes is a violation of her daughter’s rights.
However, Deerfield Public Schools District 109 vehemently denies the allegations that students are being forced to change in front of others in the locker room. In a statement released to news outlets, the district emphasized its commitment to providing a respectful and supportive learning environment for all students and staff.
"District 109 is committed to providing a learning environment where all students and staff are respected and supported. Our policies and procedures, including student use of locker rooms, align with state laws, the Illinois School Code, and Illinois State Board of Education guidance," the statement read. The district further clarified that "No student is required to change into a gym uniform for physical education class in front of others in locker rooms. All students in the middle schools have multiple options to change in a private location if they wish."
The issue of transgender students’ access to bathrooms and locker rooms has become a contentious topic across the nation, sparking debates about student privacy, safety, and inclusivity. Supporters of transgender rights argue that denying transgender students access to facilities that align with their gender identity is discriminatory and harmful, while opponents express concerns about the potential impact on the privacy and safety of other students.
Rep. Miller’s call for the withdrawal of federal funding echoes similar actions taken by the Trump administration in the past. The Trump administration had previously focused on states accused of violating the executive order, and even engaged in public disputes over federal funding. One notable instance involved a public spar between Trump and Maine Gov. Janet Mills, eventually leading to a pause in funding to the University of Maine System by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. While this funding freeze was later reversed due to the intervention of U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, the situation highlights the potential consequences for schools and institutions that are perceived to be in violation of the executive order.
This current situation in Deerfield, Illinois, serves as another example of the ongoing conflict surrounding transgender rights in schools and the complex challenges involved in balancing the needs and concerns of all students. As the Justice Department investigates Georgas’s civil rights complaint and the debate continues to unfold, it remains to be seen what actions, if any, will be taken regarding the Deerfield School District’s federal funding.
