Minnesota has informed the Trump administration that it won’t provide a detailed response regarding its request to prohibit transgender women from participating in women’s sports and spaces.
In a statement, Minnesota Attorney General Liz Cramer expressed uncertainty about the state’s timeline for action and criticized the federal review of Title IX. She also challenged claims that failing to adjust its policies would lead to significant cuts in federal funding, as reported by the Minnesota Star Tribune.
Cramer stated, “If the federal government is to comply with the law, it needs to follow a lengthy administrative process before any federal education funding for Minnesota can be cut.”
This situation arose after the Trump administration’s announcement on September 30, indicating that Minnesota’s policies allowing transgender women to compete in women’s sports breach Title IX.
The Department of Education (ED) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) specifically accused the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) and the Minnesota High School League (MSHSL) of violating Title IX by prioritizing “gender identity” over biological sex. According to ED, investigations showed that for years, MDE and MSHSL allowed male athletes to compete on women’s teams in various sports.
The ED initiated an investigation in February after MSHSL committed to following state laws that emphasize “gender identity” over federal anti-discrimination laws and directives from President Trump aimed at “Keeping men out of women’s sports.” This inquiry was partly prompted by a case involving a transgender athlete from Champlin Park High School who achieved success in girls’ softball competitions.
ED and HHS warned both MDE and MSHSL to address these Title IX violations within 10 days or face potential enforcement actions.
Liz Houston, assistant White House press secretary, remarked that Minnesota officials are putting female athletes at risk through their support of gender ideology, and emphasized President Trump’s dedication to reinstating logical policies that keep men out of women’s sports.
In a show of support, over 20 members of the Minnesota State Board of Education penned a letter advocating for policies that favor one transgender athlete. This follows an earlier letter from more than 200 board members urging policy changes to protect federal funding and ensure fairness in women’s sports.
“It’s essential that we don’t continue to violate Title IX, risk millions in federal funds, or face ongoing budget instability,” the letter stated.
