KENT COUNTY, MI – Godfrey-Lee Public Schools Superintendent Arnetta Thompson said the district, one of three now under investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice, will fully cooperate with the federal inquiry announced on Feb. 18.
In an emailed statement to MLive/The Grand Rapids Press, Thompson confirmed that the district in the city of Wyoming had received correspondence from the DOJ regarding “a review of certain district practices.”
“At this time, this is a standard review process,” Thompson said. “The district is not facing any charges or findings of wrongdoing.”
Godfrey-Lee is one of three Michigan school districts under investigation by the DOJ.
A news release from the department on Wednesday, Feb. 18 states that the investigation intends to determine whether any of the districts have included sexual orientation and gender ideology content in any class in grades pre-K through 12.
If any of the districts are teaching the content, the investigations will examine whether the schools have notified parents of their right to opt their children out of such instruction, the release states.
The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division also launched investigations into the Detroit Public Schools Community District and the Lansing School District.
The DOJ probe comes just a few months after the State Board of Education signed off on new state health education guidelines to advise local schools in setting up health curriculum, including sex education content.
The framework, which had not been updated since 2007, newly included a wide array of subject matter, such as healthy relationships, consent and personal safety. However, it also widened sexual education content to address gender and LGBTQ+ identities.
State officials have said much of the pushback was based on misinformation, and State Superintendent Glenn Maleyko said the Michigan Department of Education “strongly” supports all students and school districts affected by the inquiry.
It’s unclear how the DOJ identified Detroit, Lansing and Godfrey-Lee schools. The department declined to provide more details when asked for comment.
Thompson said the West Michigan district remains committed to complying with all applicable federal, state, and local laws and “have consistently operated in accordance with those laws.”
The investigation will also assess whether any of the three districts limit access to single-sex intimate spaces, such as bathrooms and locker rooms, based on biological sex.
It will examine whether any of the three Michigan school districts in question are adhering to Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 and the Supreme Court’s decision in Mahmoud v. Taylor, 606 U.S. 522 (2025).
“This Department of Justice is fiercely committed to ending the growing trend of local school authorities embedding sexuality and gender ideology in every aspect of public education,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon with the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.
In response, the area’s state Rep. John Fitzgerald, D-Wyoming, expressed concern that the investigation creates an “immense burden” for dedicated teachers and administrators in his district.
“The teachers, administrators and parents of the Godfrey-Lee Public School district are fully committed to supporting the learning and well-being of their students,” Fitzgerald said. “It is concerning the DOJ has targeted Godfrey-Lee Public Schools, Detroit Public Schools Community District and the Lansing School District for this investigation, impeding the learning of some of the most diverse student bodies in our state.”
According to the DOJ, letters sent to superintendents in each affected district outlined a 10-point request for materials, including members of their sex-ed advisory boards, school events or extra-curricular programs and instructional plans that mention specific sex ed and LGBTQ-related terms.