Maine Schools Stand Firm Against Federal Pressure on Transgender Athlete Policy
PORTLAND, Maine — School officials in Maine announced on Thursday their refusal to adopt a federal proposal from the Trump administration that would prevent transgender athletes from competing in girls’ sports.
Recently, the U.S. Health and Human Services Department declared that the Maine Department of Education, the Maine Principals’ Association, and a specific high school were violating Title IX by allowing transgender athletes to participate. This federal scrutiny followed a disagreement between President Trump and Democratic Governor Janet Mills regarding the issue.
The federal agency granted these institutions a ten-day period to accept a voluntary agreement aimed at resolving the matter by excluding transgender athletes. However, both the Maine Principals’ Association, responsible for governing high school sports across the state, and School Administrative District 51, which includes Greely High School, announced their intention to reject the proposal.
The focus of the investigation was Greely High School in Cumberland, a suburb of Portland, where a transgender student reportedly won a girls’ track competition. The district expressed in a letter to the community that it would continue to abide by state law and the Maine Human Rights Act, rather than comply with the federal request.
The district also extended gratitude to its students for their resilience and commitment to learning amidst these challenges, encouraging them to “continue to lead the way.”
In response, the Maine Principals’ Association stated it is committed to following the law, including the Maine Human Rights Act, which shapes its participation policy. A spokesperson for the Maine Department of Education forwarded the inquiry to the state attorney general’s office, which has not yet provided a response.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services did not comment but previously expressed hope that Maine educational authorities would collaborate to reach an agreement that upholds fairness in women’s sports.
Tensions between Governor Mills and President Trump escalated last month during a meeting with governors at the White House, where Trump threatened to cut federal funding to Maine if the state failed to adhere to his executive order banning transgender athletes from sports. Mills responded defiantly, stating, “We’ll see you in court.”
The U.S. Education Department has since determined that Maine’s policies violate Title IX and could potentially face legal repercussions from the Justice Department.
