Trump Administration Escalates Title IX Investigation in Maine Over Transgender Athlete Policy
The Trump administration has broadened its Title IX investigation into the state of Maine, citing violations of the former president’s executive order that aimed to prevent biological males from competing in women’s sports. The investigation, initially focused on the Maine Department of Education (MDOE), has now expanded to include the Maine Principals Association (MPA), the state’s primary governing body for high school athletics, and Greely High School, a focal point in the ongoing debate over transgender sports participation in Maine.
According to a spokesperson for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the department’s Office of Civil Rights (OCR) is spearheading the investigation into these entities over alleged Title IX violations. The initial investigation into MDOE was launched last month, prompted by concerns that Maine intended to disregard President Trump’s executive order, which sought to restrict athletic participation based on biological sex. Following the launch of the investigation, HHS issued MDOE a "Notice of Violation."
Andrew Nixon, an HHS spokesperson, emphasized the department’s commitment to upholding Title IX, stating, "HHS will investigate and enforce Title IX to the full extent permitted by law to uphold fairness, safety, dignity, and biological truth in women’s and girls’ educational athletic opportunities. Men have no place in women’s sports. Maine must comply with Title IX or risk losing federal funding."
Republican state legislators in Maine have urged Democratic Governor Janet Mills to reverse her stance on the issue, citing the potential loss of hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funding to K-12 schools in the state. According to data obtained by the Portland Press Herald, MDOE receives nearly a million dollars from HHS sub-agencies alone.
Assistant House Minority Leader Katrina Smith stated, "Enough is enough, it is time to put away radical ideology and put the future of our kids first. The Mills administration’s policy of allowing biological boys in girls’ sports has physically and mentally mistreated our young ladies and now this same policy will harm every child and teacher with the loss of federal funds to our schools."
State Representative Laurel Libby added, "If Maine Democrats continue to double down on allowing biological males to participate in girls sports, our students stand to lose hundreds of millions of dollars of federal funding. Gov. [Janet] Mills and legislative Democrats have a renewed opportunity to do the right thing, to ensure restored funding and a fair and level playing field for Maine girls."
Libby herself faced censure from Democrats in the Maine state legislature after posting on social media about a Greely High School pole vaulter who had previously competed as a biological male and had recently won a statewide championship meet competing as a woman. The post included images of the athlete competing as a male and winning the women’s pole-vaulting competition.
Zoe, a shot put competitor at Maine’s Class B state indoor championship meet, expressed her concerns, stating, "State leaders have failed our female athletes and there needs to be repercussions for their neglect."
The issue gained further attention when Trump publicly criticized Maine for defying his executive order. During a public exchange with Governor Mills at the White House, Trump threatened the state’s funding unless they "clean that up," to which Mills responded that she would "see [him] in court."
Sarah Perry, a civil rights attorney specializing in Title IX issues, believes that Maine’s legal position is weak. She argues that Maine is not only in violation of federal law but also disregarding directives from the Department of Education and previously established legal precedent that overturned former President Joe Biden’s Title IX regulations, which allowed athletic eligibility to be determined by one’s preferred gender identity. Perry asserts that Maine’s reliance on state law that conflicts with federal law will be detrimental to its case.
Governor Mills and the MPA have argued that Trump’s executive order clashes with existing state Human Rights law. The MPA has stated that it will adhere to state law, which permits athletic eligibility to be determined based on a person’s stated gender identity.
Maine Attorney General Aaron Frey confirmed that his office received a "Notice of Violation" indicating that MDOE was in violation of federal Title IX law due to its policy of allowing athletic eligibility to be determined by gender identity.
Mills has defended her stance, stating, "No President – Republican or Democrat – can withhold federal funding authorized and appropriated by Congress and paid for by Maine taxpayers in an attempt to coerce someone into compliance with his will. It is a violation of our Constitution and of our laws, which I took an oath to uphold."
Fox News Digital reached out to the MPA and Greely High School’s administration for comment but did not receive a response by the time of publication.
The controversy underscores the contentious nature of transgender rights, particularly in the realm of athletics, and the complex interplay between federal and state laws. The outcome of this investigation could have significant implications for transgender athletes and educational institutions across the country.
