# CPS CEO defends transgender student policies against attacks by House Republicans **By:** Sarah Karp **Published:** 2026-06-11T00:20:00Z **Source:** [Chicago Sun-Times](https://chicago.suntimes.com/education/2026/06/10/what-to-know-as-cps-ceo-macquline-king-prepares-to-testify-before-congress-under-subpoena) --- Chicago Public Schools Supt. Macquline King testified Wednesday before the U.S. House education committee. During the contentious hearing, Republican lawmakers repeatedly pressed King about district policies aimed at supporting transgender students and CPS’ sex education curriculum. Chicago Public Schools Supt. Macquline King testified Wednesday before the U.S. House education committee. During the contentious hearing, Republican lawmakers repeatedly pressed King about district policies aimed at supporting transgender students and CPS’ sex education curriculum. CPS Supt./CEO Macquline King testified Wednesday at a Congressional hearing called by Republican members of the U.S. House education committee. Alex Wroblewski/For the Sun-Times WASHINGTON — Republican lawmakers grilled Chicago Public Schools CEO and Supt. Macquline King about transgender students, religion and sex education as she testified under subpoena Wednesday at a contentious U.S. House education committee hearing. The Republican chair of the committee, Tim Walberg, came out swinging, accusing King and the other superintendents in attendance of representing school districts with “radical” policies that “sideline parents” and “compromise student privacy rights.” He went so far as to say that some practices, such as allowing a transgender girl to sleep in the same room as a cisgender girl on an overnight trip, could rise to the level of “child abuse and neglect.” Advocates for transgender youth say such policies help protect trans students’ privacy and safety. School leaders and education policy experts nationwide watched the hearing closely, as the Trump administration has threatened to withhold federal funding from schools that run afoul of its interpretation of civil rights laws. The hearing was the first at which K-12 superintendents were questioned during President Donald Trump’s second term about culture war issues that have dominated right-wing discourse in recent years. Democrats on the committee tried to redirect the hearing’s focus to issues they said really mattered, like supporting student mental health, improving academic achievement and addressing the effects of immigration enforcement on students. Republican lawmakers, meanwhile, questioned King about whether she believes that teachers have to disavow their Christian beliefs to teach in CPS and what grade she thinks it is appropriate to start providing condoms to students. To most questions, including those about accommodations for trans students on overnight trips, King flatly told the lawmakers that CPS policies are aligned with Illinois laws. In his closing statement, Walberg picked at King’s refrain. U.S. Rep. Tim Walberg, R-Mich., kicked off Wednesday’s hearing by criticizing CPS policies for transgender students. He subpoenaed CPS Supt. Macquline King to appear before the House education committee. Alex Wrobelwski/For the Sun-Times “The fact of the matter is almost 80% of our citizens polled clearly stated they don’t want males in female sports or restrooms, and yet your schools and the state of Illinois rules that you follow, that you, Dr. King, referred to so often, encourages that,” he said. He went on to issue a veiled threat that districts that clash with Republican priorities could be excluded from any new money for special education services. “Will that funding also be used to teach our children the truth, as opposed to going along with the cultural setting that is trying to change the reality around gender?” he asked. “Those are our concerns.” King did not take questions from reporters after the hearing. The district later sent a statement that did not provide any insight into how King thought the session went. Instead, it reiterated that “CPS policies are rooted in law, the District’s mission and values.” “Above all else, Dr. King emphasized the District must always prioritize the best interests of students and their families,” the statement said. The Trump administration is investigating CPS over its policy that allows transgender students to use the bathroom that corresponds with their gender identity, as well as the district’s Black Student Success initiative, which aims to improve the experiences and academic outcomes of Black students. CPS CEO Macquline King departs a Congressional hearing on Capitol Hill on Wednesday. King didn’t take questions after the hearing, but several Chicago parents and school board members said she did a good job championing the district’s work. Alex Wroblewski/For the Sun-Times Republicans did not question King about that plan. A Democrat brought it up, and King assured her that it was created with input from hundreds of community members and its intent is to target support for Black students who “have been historically and systematically void of opportunities” — but not at the expense of other students. Trump and other Republicans have said these policies violate federal civil rights laws because they discriminate against students who are cisgender and who aren’t Black. King had to walk a tightrope. Many Chicago parents, students and community activists have previously demanded CPS enact the policies that the Trump administration and Republicans in Congress are now scrutinizing — and they wanted her to support them. But King didn’t want to give federal officials a reason to pull any more funding after the district already lost a $20 million grant over the Black Student Success Plan. King defends Chicago Public Schools In her opening statement, King said CPS diversity — in culture, language, faith and more — is a strength, and it drives how the district works to meet students’ needs. “Our classrooms are not homogeneous. They are vibrant communities where students learn alongside peers whose lived experiences may differ from their own,” King said. “The only way to truly serve a student is to understand and embrace what makes each student and community unique.” King appeared alongside school district leaders from San Francisco and Loudoun County, Virginia, in suburban Washington, D.C. Maria Su, superintendent of San Francisco Unified, was direct in her defense of policies related to transgender students. She said her city “is known as a pioneer in LGBTQ rights. We have a long tradition of embracing diversity and welcoming everyone, including those who feel marginalized or overlooked.” In many of her answers, she also pointed out that students don’t learn if they feel excluded or bullied. U.S. Rep. Virginia Foxx, a Republican from North Carolina, wanted to know whether the school district leaders tell teachers to “lie” to parents about what name their child is using at school. The question appeared to refer to a concern that transgender students could use a name or pronoun other than the one they were given at birth without their parents knowing. CPS Supt. Macquline King faced several questions from Republican lawmakers about the school district’s policies for transgender students and its sex ed curriculum. Alex Wroblewski/For the Sun-Times King said she knows of no instance in which a CPS educator lied to parents, and they wouldn’t be asked to do so. Before the hearing, CPS parent Mary Kay Devine said she came to the Hill to stand up for policies that she said have allowed her transgender daughter to have a safe and joyous high school experience. “Her teachers used her chosen name,” Devine said. “She landed a female lead in the spring musical, and she used the women’s bathroom without anyone batting an eye. In fact, her classmates cared a lot more about their grades and honors stats than about her gender identity.” Democrats try to steer hearing to core education issues At the hearing, Democrats on the committee tried to bring the conversation back to bread-and-butter education issues. U.S. Rep. Jahana Hayes, a schoolteacher from Connecticut, criticized the hearing’s purpose and told the superintendents not to get sucked into “culture war” issues. “Your job is to create places where children can learn,” she said. “We’ve had zero hearings, not one in this Congress or the last, on school shootings that are killing children in our classrooms. Zero hearings on chronic absenteeism. Zero hearings on the mental health crisis.” U.S. Rep Suzanne Bonamici, a Democrat from Oregon, asked each of the superintendents to name the top issue for parents in their districts. For King, it was budget cuts that could hit the classroom. Aaron Spence, the head of Loudoun County Public Schools, said academic progress. And Su from San Francisco said increasing academic rigor and making sure students have needed services. Bonamici said those issues represented the “real concerns” of parents. CPS parents, students and board rally behind King About two dozen Chicago parents, teachers, students and advocates went to Washington for the hearing. Some spent the day delivering banned books to members of Congress. Tierra Pearson, with the parent advocacy group Kids First Chicago, was in the hearing room. “It was definitely a political circus, but I am very well pleased with how Dr. King handled herself and represented the city of Chicago,” she said. “She didn’t get wrapped up into the whole political thing. She’s just like, ‘Listen, we’re here to highlight the good work that we’re doing, the strides that we’re making for our students.’” At a news conference before the hearing, U.S. Rep. Delia Ramirez, who represents part of Chicago and the western suburbs, stood with some of the Chicagoans who traveled to Washington to support King. U.S. Rep. Delia Ramirez, who represents part of Chicago, held a news conference with students, parents and teachers before Wednesday’s congressional hearing to voice support for CPS Supt. Macquline King. Sarah Karp/WBEZ Ramirez called the Republicans who led the hearing bullies. And she thanked the Chicago teachers and students who came to send a message: “You will not bully me into not having education. You will not bully me into not being proud of who I am.” Taneesha Henderson, a CPS teacher and parent, said she wanted to make the trip because it was important to defend the district’s Black Student Success Plan. As a teacher who works with special education students, she said she sees students who have a lot of needs — and Congress should focus on helping them. “Districts are facing budget cuts, staffing shortages, mental health crises and learning gaps,” she said. “We should be talking about how to save schools, protect positions and support children.” Back in Chicago, school board members showed a rare display of unity as nearly the entire board — which has had fierce disagreements over the past two years — gathered during a break at a regularly scheduled meeting to stand in solidarity with King. Board President Sean Harden said King “did a fantastic job” explaining to members of Congress what “our values are as a district” and the policies that are guiding CPS. He said the board has “complete confidence” in King. “She has shown tremendous leadership,” Harden said. “Whether it’s building community partnerships, advocating for our schools or testifying before Congress as she’s done today, we applaud her unwavering commitment to keeping students and families at the center.” Nader Issa contributed reporting.