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New York Stops Second Long Island District From Enforcing Transgender Bathroom and Locker‑Room Ban

11:20 AM, 12/04/2025
New York Stops Second Long Island District From Enforcing Transgender Bathroom and Locker‑Room Ban

New York State has blocked Locust Valley School District from enforcing a resolution that would bar transgender students from using bathrooms and locker rooms aligned with their gender identity, citing a directive from Education Commissioner Betty Rosa. The Locust Valley policy is nearly identical to an earlier Massapequa ban that was also halted and is now part of related proceedings. Massapequa has filed federal litigation, and Commissioner Rosa said that outcome could affect Locust Valley. The dispute highlights conflicting interpretations of federal and state law and an evolving legal landscape for school policies on transgender students.

New York State has intervened to prevent Locust Valley School District from enforcing a resolution that would bar transgender students from using bathrooms and locker rooms consistent with their gender identity. The action follows a similar move against the Massapequa district and stems from an administrative order issued by State Education Commissioner Betty Rosa.

The Locust Valley resolution prohibited transgender students from accessing facilities that do not align with their biological sex. Commissioner Rosa’s directive, issued last month, renders that policy unenforceable pending the outcome of related proceedings. Because Locust Valley’s policy closely mirrors Massapequa’s earlier resolution, the state added Locust Valley as a related party in the ongoing case.

In the Massapequa matter, the commissioner issued an interim stay in October barring enforcement of that district’s resolution while the dispute proceeds. The New York Civil Liberties Union challenged Massapequa’s ban on behalf of a transgender student, and Massapequa later filed a federal lawsuit naming the student’s parents, the education commissioner and other state officials. Rosa noted that the litigation’s outcome could affect Locust Valley’s policy as well.

The Locust Valley School Board said it is "navigating a complex and evolving legal landscape shaped by federal and state mandates" and is seeking additional legal counsel following the commissioner’s order. District leaders have cited Title IX, which prohibits sex‑based discrimination in federally funded education programs, and an executive order issued earlier this year that defined male and female as the only two sexes, as part of their justification for the resolution.

State officials, by contrast, maintain that New York law permits transgender students to use restrooms and locker rooms that match their gender identity, and the commissioner’s directive reflects that interpretation. The state’s intervention marks the second time in recent weeks it has stepped in to block Long Island districts from enforcing policies restricting access to facilities for transgender students.

The dispute underscores a broader and unresolved clash between local school policies, federal guidance and state law. With litigation underway, the legal status of similar district resolutions remains unsettled until courts or administrative authorities issue final determinations.

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