Overview
- The Office for Civil Rights, which opened the investigation Tuesday, is examining whether Contoocook Valley’s policies violate federal sex-discrimination law.
- The case stems from an August 2025 complaint by Defending Education on behalf of a parent who says her daughter felt uncomfortable after a transgender student used the girls’ locker room and alleges the district bases access on gender identity and omits sex-discrimination language from its policy.
- District officials said they received notice, are reviewing the complaint, and follow state and federal anti-discrimination laws, and they declined interviews to protect student privacy.
- Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Kimberly Richey said the department will investigate the complaint and enforce Title IX to ensure women and girls are safe in school spaces.
- A University of New Hampshire law professor said the theory behind the complaint is a thin legal basis and noted OCR would need to show a clear statutory violation, with the investigation ongoing and no enforcement decision announced.