Some school board members urge Minnesota to comply with Trump transgender order
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More than 40 school board members from districts across Minnesota are calling on the state to comply with a recent federal finding that Minnesota’s policy letting transgender student athletes compete on teams consistent with their gender identity is a civil rights violation.
That policy has “denied female students equal athletic opportunities and compromised their privacy, safety and dignity,” the group wrote to Minnesota Education Commissioner Willie Jett, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison and Erich Martens, executive director of the Minnesota State High School League.
In the letter, the board members said the state risks losing federal funding “that would adversely affect educational programs, extracurricular activities and resources for over 875,000 students statewide.”
Federal officials last week warned Minnesota to end its transgender policy within 10 days or risk losing federal education aid. The issue, however, seems likely to be settled eventually in court.
The high school league policy on transgender athletes has operated for more than a decade with little controversy. Following President Donald Trump’s executive order earlier this year effectively barring transgender athletes from female sports, league officials signaled the policy would stay in place.
Ellison backed the high school league’s position, arguing that Minnesota’s human rights law lets transgender athletes compete in sports consistent with their gender identity and that the state law supersedes Trump’s executive order. In March, Minnesota lawmakers rejected an effort to ban transgender athletes from women’s sports.
In a statement, the Minnesota Department of Education said it was “reviewing the letter” and remained “committed to ensuring every child has the opportunity to thrive in a safe and supportive school community.”
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