A Middlebury College professor alleges that President Trump’s education policies are compelling her to teach what she calls “lies” about gender. The professor, who specializes in gender studies, says new federal guidelines tied to funding require schools to adhere to biologically based definitions of sex, which she claims contradict “accepted academic frameworks” on gender identity.
The controversy stems from recent federal directives aimed at reversing Biden-era rules on Title IX. Under the Trump administration’s updated policy, educational institutions must recognize sex as “biologically determined at birth” when addressing sports participation, housing, and curriculum standards. Schools that refuse risk losing federal funding.
In a campus-wide email, the professor criticized the changes, arguing they undermine academic freedom and force educators to “erase marginalized identities.” She warned that compliance would silence discussions of transgender and non-binary perspectives. However, supporters of the policy say it restores common sense and protects fairness in women’s sports and privacy in school facilities.
Conservative groups have praised the administration for reestablishing clear definitions of male and female, calling it a necessary correction after years of ideological overreach in education.
Middlebury College has not yet announced how it will respond to the new federal rules. The debate highlights the growing clash between progressive academia and federal education standards under President Trump’s leadership.
