Sunday, February 1, 2026
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Sunday, February 1, 2026

Milwaukee Press Club 'Excellence in Wisconsin Journalism' 2020 & 2021 Award Winners

Milwaukee School Counselor Under DPI Investigation For Opposition to Transgender Ideology

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Marissa Darlingh was one of several speakers at a feminist rally in Madison on April 23 where she used commonly expressed profanity repeatedly as she discussed transgenderism.

A Milwaukee elementary school counselor is refusing to resign or change her mind about gender identity, even after the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction opened an investigation that could result in revocation of her license and loss of her job.

The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction sent Marissa Darlingh a letter on April 29, explaining that she was under investigation for what she said at a rally in Madison just six days before.

 

“DPI has opened an investigation to determine whether to initiate educator license revocation proceedings against you,” the letter stated. “It has been alleged that you engaged in immoral conduct.”

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Marissa Darlingh was one of several speakers at a feminist rally in Madison on April 23 where she used commonly expressed profanity repeatedly as she discussed transgenderism.

“I oppose gender ideology ever entering the walls of my school building,” Darling said. “Over my dead … body will my students be exposed to the heart of gender identity ideology. Not a single one of my students under my … watch will ever, ever transition socially, and sure as hell not medically.”

DPI’s letter said the investigation will “determine if there is probable cause to support allegations of immoral conduct.”

DPI gave Marissa Darlingh the option to resign ahead of the investigation, but Darlingh opted instead to fight.

On Wednesday, the Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty sent a letter to DPI that promises a lawsuit if the state tries to suspend Darlingh’s license because of her opposition to transgenderism or her use of profanity.

“The state is, quite simply, trying to punish a public-school counselor for her views on gender ideology. This is a classic, clear-cut, violation of the First Amendment and the state can expect a federal lawsuit if it proceeds,” WILL’s Luke Berg said.

Marissa Darling said she will not back down, and will not change her mind about transgenderism even after the investigation is complete.

“My views on the harms of gender ideology to children are informed by a desire to serve and protect children,” Darling said in a statement. “That’s why I got into education. I will love and serve every child under my care, no matter what. But I won’t recant under threat from the state.”

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That would mean the state would have $2.3 billion in surplus, lower than the $4 billion heading into this budget but well above the $800 million surplus that was previously projected.

The group said that the surplus would be the result of nearly $1.4 billion in increased tax collections and $104 million in additional departmental non-tax revenues.

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Education Department Launches 18 Title IX Probes as Supreme Court Hears Cases

The Trump administration has launched a series of investigations into various public schools and state departments of education across the country over Title IX allegations related to the participation of transgender athletes in girls' sports.

The investigation led by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights coincides with the U.S. Supreme Court beginning oral arguments on transgender sports cases.

The core of the complaints asserts that these K-12 districts and state agencies maintain policies that discriminate based on sex. By permitting transgender students to participate in sports, the Department argues that these institutions are violating Title IX protections.

According to the Department of Education, these policies jeopardize both the safety and the equal opportunities of women in educational programs and activities, the Department said.

“In the same week that the Supreme Court hears oral arguments on the future of Title IX, OCR is aggressively pursuing allegations of discrimination against women and girls by entities which reportedly allow males to compete in women’s sports,” Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Kimberly Richey said.

"We are currently reviewing the letter and will respond appropriately through the proper legal and administrative channels,” the University of Nevada, Reno, one of the schools under investigation, told Fox News. "The University remains committed to fostering an inclusive, supportive, and respectful campus environment for all of our students. We recognize and uphold our responsibilities under state and federal law, and we will continue to act in accordance with the U.S. and Nevada Constitutions.”

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The following entities are currently under investigation:

Jurupa School District (California).Placentia-Yorba School District (California).Santa Monica College (California).Santa Rosa Junior College (California).Waterbury Public Schools (Connecticut).Hawaii State Department of Education (Hawaii).Regional School Unit 19 (Maine).Regional School Unit 57 (Maine)Foxborough Public Schools (Massachusetts).University of Nevada – Reno (Nevada).Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District (New York).New York City Department of Education (New York).Great Valley School District (Pennsylvania).Champlain Valley School District (Vermont).Cheney Public Schools (Washington).Sultan School District No. 311 (Washington).Tacoma Public Schools (Washington).Vancouver Public Schools (Washington).