Over 40 Minnesota school board members have publicly urged state leaders to comply with the Trump administration’s directive to safeguard girls’ athletic programs from biological males competing under transgender athlete policies.
The school boards delivered a letter to key state officials—including Education Commissioner Willie Jett, Attorney General Keith Ellison, and Minnesota State High School League leadership—warning that failure to act could put federal funding at risk for more than 875,000 students statewide.
In late September, the U.S. Departments of Education and Health and Human Services ruled that Minnesota’s existing policies violate Title IX by allowing males to compete in female sports and access female-designated facilities. The state has been given 10 days to revise those policies or face enforcement actions, including possible DOJ referral.
One flashpoint intensifying the debate was a high school softball tournament in which a transgender athlete pitched in girls’ competition, overwhelming opponents in multiple games. Some athletes and parents argue the situation undermines fair competition in women’s sports.
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison responded by defending the state’s inclusive policy, calling federal threats “bullying” and asserting that exclusion would violate the Minnesota Human Rights Act. His legal challenges assert that Trump’s executive order and federal enforcement infringe on constitutional and civil rights protections.
With federal funding and girls’ competitive integrity on the line, Minnesota’s response will set an important precedent.
