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DOJ investigates Illinois schools over secret gender transitions, ideology
President Donald Trump’s Justice Department is continuing its investigatory crackdown on left-wing ideology in schools, homing in on one of the biggest blue states renowned for its activist teachers unions.
The DOJ announced an investigation into 36 Illinois school districts over whether they allowed parents to opt their children out of instruction involving sexual orientation and gender ideology (SOGI).
“What we’ve learned is that Illinois has a comprehensive sex education and LGBTQ education regime for its public schools, and it appears that it does not allow for parental opt-outs, so these are mandatory topics,” Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon told Fox News in an exclusive interview.
“If the schools are mandating this and not allowing parents the opportunity to opt out of content that may be inappropriate for them based on religion or values, they would be afoul of that Supreme Court precedent,” Dhillon said. “And so we have reason to believe that these school districts in Illinois are not obeying the law, and we’re going to look into that.”
The review will also examine whether districts are encouraging or facilitating student gender transitions without parental notice or consent, including through name and pronoun policies or school clubs focused on gender identity.
“This Department of Justice is determined to put an end to local school authorities keeping parents in the dark about how sexuality and gender ideology are being pushed in classrooms,” Dhillon wrote in a statement, announcing the investigation. “Supreme Court precedent leaves no doubt: parents have the fundamental right and primary authority to direct the care, upbringing, and education of their children.
“This includes exempting their children from ideological instruction that contradicts their values or decisions about their children’s health and best interests.”
The Dhillon-led Civil Rights Division announced Thursday it has opened investigations into the 36 public school districts to determine whether they have included SOGI content in any class from pre-K through 12th grade. If so, DOJ says investigators will examine whether schools notified parents of their right to opt their children out of that instruction.
The Illinois school districts are recipients of hundreds of thousands of dollars of taxpayer funding, which could be at risk if civil rights violations are found.
Dhillon told Fox News the inquiry will go beyond classroom instruction and examine whether districts are encouraging or facilitating gender transitions without parental notice or consent, including through policies involving students’ names, pronouns or participation in school clubs focused on gender identity.
“Illinois is just pushing these radical agendas,” Dhillon told Fox News, adding that school districts are often left “in a rock and a hard place” and that federal court intervention may be necessary to “stop this illegal practice.”
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The DOJ said the investigations will also assess whether the districts limit access to single-sex intimate spaces — including bathrooms and locker rooms — and girls’ sports teams based on biological sex. The department said the districts under review receive federal funding and will be examined for compliance with Title IX and Supreme Court precedent on parental rights.
“Children have rights and parents have rights, and we’re here to enforce those rights,” Dhillon vowed to Fox News.
The districts named by DOJ include Atwood Heights School District 125, Bloomington Public Schools District 87, DeKalb Community Unit School District 428, Elmwood Park Community Unit School District 401, Freeport School District 145, Noble Network of Charter Schools, North Chicago Community Unit School District 187, Oak Lawn-Hometown School District 123, Reavis Township High School District 220, Thornton Fractional Township High School District 215 and Will County School District 92, among others.
The probe marks the latest development in federal scrutiny of Illinois education policy. Last year, federal officials opened a Title IX investigation involving the Illinois Board of Education and Chicago Public Schools over allegations tied to policies allowing transgender students to access bathrooms and locker rooms consistent with their gender identity.
Fox News’ Mike Tobin contributed to this report.
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California man sentenced to prison for using pickaxe to kill teen brother with cerebral palsy
A California man was sentenced to 15 years to life in prison after pleading guilty to the pickaxe murder of his teenage half-brother, who had cerebral palsy and used a wheelchair.
Zuberi Sharp, 26, was sentenced on Tuesday after pleading guilty in March to the second-degree murder of his 15-year-old half-brother, Zayde, according to the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office.
He also admitted to several special allegations and aggravating factors, including that he inflicted great bodily injury, that he used a weapon in the commission of the crime and that the victim was vulnerable.
On Dec. 5, 2024, deputies were called to a home on the 400 block of Jeanne Court in Newbury Park shortly after 8 p.m. following his mother’s 911 call from Zayde’s mother, who reported that her son had been struck in the head with an object.
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The victim’s mother reported that Sharp had attacked Zayde with a pickaxe inside a shed in the backyard.
The teen’s uncle heard a loud thud and rushed to the shed to check on the two brothers. He observed Sharp standing over Zayde while holding a pickaxe.
Zayde was rushed to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead shortly after arriving.
Meanwhile, Sharp fled the scene and was later found at nearby Newbury Park High School, where deputies took him into custody after receiving reports of a man acting erratically on the football field, authorities said.
The incident forced a lockdown, as student-athletes were on the field when he arrived.
“This sentence reflects the seriousness of a violent and senseless act against a vulnerable victim,” Senior Deputy District Attorney David Russell said in a press release. “While nothing can undo this loss, it ensures the defendant is held accountable and that the victim’s family has been spared the trauma of a trial.”
Investigators never released a motive for the attack, but family members told KTLA they believed Sharp was having a manic episode at the time.
“It’s hard,” Zayde’s mother previously told the outlet at a ceremony to honor her son. “It’s been really hard. Pain every day.”
Sharp is also the son of convicted killer Calvin Sharp, who killed a 6-year-old boy with a meat cleaver in 2007. He pleaded guilty to the murder and was sentenced to life in prison.
Fox News Digital has reached out to Sharp’s legal team. The Ventura County District Attorney’s Office directed inquiries to Tuesday’s press release.
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Kentucky man accused of kidnapping, killing woman and keeping her body under trailer before disposal
A Kentucky man is set to go to trial next year after he allegedly abducted and killed a woman, wrapped her body, stored it under his trailer and dumped it on the side of a road seven years ago, according to authorities.
Ryan “Todd” Crawley had his trial date set for May 17–28 of next year in connection with the 2019 death of April Arnett, the Scott County Circuit Court said, according to WKYT.
He was indicted earlier this year on charges of murder, kidnapping and evidence tampering. Crawley pleaded not guilty to the murder and kidnapping charges after he previously pleaded guilty to evidence tampering and abuse of a corpse.
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Crawley has pleaded not guilty to the murder and kidnapping charges, and those charges remain pending. His attorneys have argued that the timing of the new charges — nearly seven years after Arnett’s death — raises questions about the case. Court documents allege Crawley was involved in Arnett’s kidnapping and killing.
His lawyers, who have sought to maintain their client’s innocence on the more serious charges, have highlighted that the murder and kidnapping charges were filed nearly seven years after the 2019 incident.
On Aug. 17, 2019, at about 9 p.m., Kentucky State Police were notified about a body later identified as Arnett that was found off KY Highway 2328, also known as Old Lexington Road, in Madison County.
Police say the discovery was made four days after Arnett’s alleged death in Scott County.
Crawley allegedly wrapped up Arnett’s body before storing it under his trailer, court documents say, according to WLEX.
Four other people, including the defendant’s cousin Ronald Crawley, were charged with helping kidnap Arnett.
Authorities said the two Crawleys drove into Madison County over the Old Clays Ferry Bridge with Arnett’s body wrapped in a tarp with cinder blocks attached. The pair attempted to toss her body into the water, but it became stuck on a guy wire, at which point the men put Arnett’s body back into the vehicle and dumped it off the side of the road, where she was ultimately found.
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Ronald Crawley was arrested in Oregon in 2019 after allegedly fleeing to the state.
Arnett was a mother of three, according to her obituary, which said she “will forever be known for her big heart and infectious smile.”
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Two planes come within 500 feet of each other while approaching JFK Airport in latest close call
Two planes had a close call while approaching John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City on Monday, with flight-tracking data reportedly showing they came within roughly 500 feet vertically of each other.
The incident came one day after a separate plane struck a light pole and damaged a bakery truck while landing in New Jersey, marking the latest in a string of aviation close calls.
Air traffic control audio shows a controller at JFK alerted the pilot of a Delta flight, operated by its subsidiary Endeavor Air, to a smaller aircraft flying less than 500 feet above them, according to ABC7.
Data from Flightradar24 cited by ABC7 shows the planes were separated by about 475 feet vertically as their paths crossed. The Endeavor aircraft was at about 2,100 feet, while the Cirrus plane was at roughly 2,575 feet.
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The Federal Aviation Administration said Endeavor Air Flight 5289 was on final approach to Runway 22L around 5:15 p.m. Monday when a Cirrus SR22 crossed overhead while preparing to land on Runway 22R.
“Air traffic control provided traffic advisories to both pilots, and each reported the other in sight,” the FAA said. “The required separation was maintained.”
The Endeavor pilot told controllers the flight crew received a traffic advisory, followed by a resolution advisory from the aircraft’s collision avoidance system, ABC7 reported.
Audio captured the exchange between controllers and the flight crew.
“Endeavor 5289 yeah I’m not talking to him. He’s 500 feet above you now left to right half a mile in front of you,” a controller said, according to the report.
“And tower Endeavor 5289 he just flew about 500 feet right over so looks like he’s taking a left turn now,” the pilot responded.
INQUIRY BEGUN AFTER AMERICAN AIRLINES FLIGHT REPORTS MYSTERIOUS BLUE LIGHT WHILE TRYING TO LAND
Monday’s incident is the latest in a series of close calls that have drawn increased scrutiny from federal regulators and lawmakers.
On Sunday, a United Airlines flight traveling from Venice, Italy, to Newark Liberty International Airport struck a light pole and damaged a bakery truck during its descent around 2 p.m. The 221 passengers and 10 crew members aboard were not injured, and the plane landed safely.
JFK also experienced a close call last month when two passenger jets came too close on approach, triggering onboard collision warnings and a federal investigation.
In that incident, the FAA said Republic Airways Flight 4464 performed a go-around after missing its approach path and flying too close to Air Canada Express Flight 8554, which had been cleared to land on a parallel runway.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the FAA, Delta and Cirrus for comment.
Fox News Digital’s Greg Wehner and Julia Bonavita contributed to this report.
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