Reactions from Prince William’s eight-member school board show a deep divide—not just over federal law, but over whose rights the policy protects and how the board should have responded.
Two members—Jennifer Wall of the Gainesville District and Erica Tredinnick of the Brentsville District, both Republican-endorsed—spoke out against the board’s overall position to defy the U.S. Department of Education. While the majority of the board supported rejecting the federal resolution, Wall and Tredinnick each argued the board should have taken a different course.
Wall criticized the decision to reject OCR’s resolution, saying compliance was necessary to protect both federal funding and students.
“Our board must act immediately to comply with the Office for Civil Rights directives—not just to safeguard up to $50 million in essential federal funding, but to honor the core values of Title IX,” Wall said.
“It is unconscionable to risk vital funding and the well-being of our students by ignoring both the legal requirements and the principles of Virginia’s Model Policies on Privacy, Dignity, and Respect for All Students and Parents.”
Wall also raised concerns about transparency, saying the board decided without a public vote or sufficient input from families.
Tredinnick argued PWCS should have gone further by changing its restroom policy to require students to use facilities based on biological sex.
“As a member of the Prince William County School Board, I must respectfully but firmly disagree with the recent decision to delay a clear policy on restroom access for all students,” Tredinnick said.
“Biological sex isn’t a matter of opinion; it’s a fact. Allowing students to use restrooms based on gender identity instead of biological sex creates confusion, compromises privacy, and goes against the values that should guide our schools.”
Tredinnick said she believes the division has not been in compliance with the Department of Education’s interpretation of Title IX and called for a restroom policy grounded in biological classification, not gender identity. While Wall is urging compliance with the federal resolution, Tredinnick is pushing for a change in PWCS policy to reflect what she describes as “biological truth and common sense.”
In contrast, Neabsco District representative Tracy Blake defended the board’s rejection of OCR’s proposed resolution, framing it as a matter of legal compliance and student protection.
“True leadership requires us to follow the law, not politics,” Blake said. “PWCS is required by Virginia law to have a policy regarding the treatment of transgender and gender non-conforming students that addresses their access to school facilities. In addition, federal law applicable in Virginia further requires that transgender students be allowed to access facilities consistent with their gender identities. This is the Grimm case, which remains the law.
“We believe our policy and regulations comply with the current legally binding interpretation of Title IX, and they remain in effect. We continue to receive guidance from counsel on the developing legal issues to ensure continued compliance with all laws, including Title IX. As always, we intend to follow the law.”
Blake emphasized that disputes over Title IX should be resolved in court, not through “rushed board decisions driven by fear of funding threats or political agendas.” He said the division’s responsibility is to “govern transparently, lawfully, and with the stability our students and families deserve.”
“As a father, I know how deeply parents care about their children’s safety, dignity, and well-being. That is why I believe our policies must protect every student, without exception,” Blake added. “That is what it means to lead—not through fear, but through law, fairness, and the commitment to protect every child in our care.”
On August 15, 2025, PWCS submitted a letter to the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) rejecting a proposed Voluntary Resolution Agreement (VRA). The agreement followed a July 25 letter from OCR finding PWCS and four other Northern Virginia school divisions in violation of Title IX, the federal law prohibiting sex-based discrimination in education.
At the heart of the issue is Regulation 738-5, which allows students to access restrooms and locker rooms based on their gender identity. OCR contends this policy has contributed to discomfort and unequal treatment of other students. In response, PWCS argues the resolution conflicts with existing legal precedent in Virginia—and that rescinding the policy would risk violating the rights of transgender students.
Correction: An earlier version of this article incorrectly stated that School Board Member Erica Tredinnick praised the decision to reject the federal resolution. In fact, she opposed the board’s delay in adopting a clear policy on restroom access based on biological sex. We regret the error.
