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Minnesota trans athlete ban federal arguments
A federal judge heard arguments on Wednesday over a lawsuit challenging Minnesota’s transgender girls’ athletes participating in youth sports policy. FOX 9’s Soyoung Kim has the latest details.
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - A coalition of Minnesota school board members have launched a campaign calling on the state to stop allowing transgender athletes from competing in girls' sports.
School board members call for ban
What we know:
The coalition is asking the Minnesota Department of Education and the Minnesota State High School League to comply with demands from the Trump administration to stop allowing athletes assigned male at birth to compete in girls sports.
The group wrote a letter, signed by school board members from 40 districts across the state, addressed to MDE Commissioner Willie Jett, Minnesota State High School League President Don Peschel and Executive Director Erich Martens, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, and Governor Tim Walz.
The letter is signed by members from districts including Anoka-Hennepin, Columbia Heights, Prior Lake-Savage, among dozens of others.
The backstory:
Last week, the Department of Education announced it had found Minnesota in violation of Title IX by allowing trans athletes in girls sports. Federal officials pointed to transgender athletes that had competed in Minnesota girls sports including Alpine skiing, Nordic skiing, lacrosse, track and field, volleyball, and fast-pitch softball.
The administration offered to drop the case against Minnesota if state leaders agreed to bar transgender athletes from girls sports.
Transgender softball player lawsuit
Big picture view:
Separate from the federal investigation, an advocacy group representing softball players in Minnesota has filed a lawsuit earlier this year seeking to block Minnesota from allowing transgender athletes in girls sports.
The lawsuit stems from a Champlin Park trans pitcher who helped lead her team to a state championship this past spring. The group was recently denied an emergency injunction on the matter by a judge. On Monday, the group announced it had appealed the injunction decision to the Court of Appeals.
Local perspective:
Since President Trump issued an executive order shortly after taking office earlier this year banning transgender athletes from competing in girls sports.
After the order was issued, the Minnesota State High School League said it would continue to obey state law – not the federal order – which allows athletes to compete in sports consistent with their gender identity.
What they're saying:
"How are we protecting all students in our district. So, whether it’s in the locker rooms or on the playing field," said Lisa Atkinson, a member of the Prior Lake Savage Area Schools Board. "As school districts, we cannot risk the loss in funding. It’s really that important to us. This is an opportunity for our state to figure out a way to put in policies that really protect all students."
The other side:
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison sent a statement in response to the coalition’s letter.
"School sports aren’t just a good way to get exercise, they help kids build friendships, make them feel like they belong, and teach them important life lessons, like how to work as a team, how to treat their competition with respect, and how to win with grace and lose with dignity. Letting the very small number of transgender students in Minnesota play on their school sports teams doesn't harm anyone, but segregating them does. Exclusion is a violation of the Minnesota Human Rights Act, which has protected the rights of trans kids to participate in all extracurricular activities for decades.
"I too am concerned about the Trump Administration’s threats to cut education funding for kids across Minnesota, but this matter is before the court right now. The federal government's threats violate the U.S. Constitution, Minnesota law, and Title IX itself. I’m fighting to prevent these harmful cuts, stop the Administration's bullying of transgender kids who just want to live their lives in peace, and protect the rights and freedoms of all our students in Minnesota."