The Forest Lake School board and close to 100 school board members from districts across Minnesota are asking the state education department and the state governing body for high school athletics to comply with a Trump administration demand to bar transgender athletes from girls sports.
Forest Lake board members voted to send a letter to statewide leaders last week after a federal civil rights investigation found that Minnesota and the Minnesota State High School League had violated Title IX, federal law banning sex discrimination in education, “by allowing males to compete in female sports and occupy female intimate facilities.”
In a ruling released last Tuesday, the U.S. Departments of Education and Health and Human Services’ civil rights offices gave the league and the state of Minnesota 10 days to make changes or risk losing federal funding.
A group of close to 100 school board members from around 40 districts from across the state independently signed on to a similar letter on Monday, largely from smaller communities outside the Twin Cities metro, though a few signed on from Washington County Schools, Anoka Hennepin Schools, and other suburban communities.
Forest Lake School Board President Curt Rebelein introduced the letter to members at their Oct. 2 meeting, saying the district needed to push the state and league to act as noncompliance could risk continued funding.
“As recipients of federal financial assistance, failure to correct these violations directly threatens our schools’ ability to serve our students and communities,” Rebelein wrote in a letter, which also was signed by school board member Tessa Antonson.
“Protecting fairness in women’s sports is paramount,” the letter continues. “The federal determination highlights how permitting males to compete on female teams displaces female athletes from podiums, denies them advancement opportunities, and diminishes their visibility and recognition in competitions.”
4-3 vote by Forest Lake school board
A resolution to send the letter passed on a 4-3 vote of the school board, with opposed members raising concerns that it was not placed on the agenda and that they did not have enough time to review the letter.
Board member Gail Theisen voted against sending the letter because it came as a surprise and because school district attorneys hadn’t reviewed the language. Rebelein said he had his own attorneys review the letter and that he wanted to send it as soon as possible because federal officials had given state officials just a little over a week to comply.
As of Monday, the Minnesota Department of Education and Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison had not released their plans on how they will react to demands from the administration of President Donald Trump.
In a statement last week, the department said it was reviewing the letter and “remains committed to ensuring every child has the opportunity to thrive in a safe and supportive school community.”
Transgender athletes
It’s unclear just how many transgender athletes participate in Minnesota school sports. Federal officials said they found transgender athletes had participated in girls’ sports, including lacrosse skiing, track and field, volleyball and softball.
The Minnesota State High School League, which has allowed students to decide whether to participate in boys or girls sports based on their gender identity since 2014, had not publicly signaled its plans as of Monday.
MSHSL Executive Director Erich Martens couldn’t immediately be reached for comment Monday.
The recent Title IX investigation is the latest development in the Trump administration’s push to end transgender participation in girls’ sports. Trump issued an executive order on the issue earlier this year and U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi threatened Minnesota officials with legal action if they did not comply.
The MSHSL following the order would likely violate the state Human Rights Act and the Equal Protection Clause of the state Constitution, which includes protections for different sexual orientations and gender identities. But the group said it would cooperate with a Title IX investigation.
The league also sought advice from Ellison, who later issued an opinion supporting their stance.
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