Trump administration sues Maine for discrimination in women's sports

The federal government seeks an injunction to force Maine to stop allowing transgenders to compete in women's sports and restore the awards to biological females who would have won the awards

United State Attorney General Pam Bondi, announced on April 16 that the Department of Justice has filed a lawsuit against the State of Maine's Department Education for failing to comply with an executive order, issued by President Donald Trump on his second day in office, banning biological males from participating in women's sports. / Republican National Convention v

A move that has been anticipated since President Donald Trump and Maine Governor Janet Mills sparred over the issue of transgender male athletes participating in women's sports, during a conference at the White House on February 21, has finally reached the legal system.

On Thursday, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi announced that the Trump administration has filed a lawsuit against the State of Maine's Deparment of Education for failing to comply with en executive order, issued by President Trump on his second day in office, banning biological males from participating in woemn's sports.

During the White House event, Trump called out Mills for not complying with the executive order. She responded by saying, "We'll follow the law" and challenged Trump by stating, "We'll see you in court."

Apparently she will get her wish.

According to ABC News, the lawsuit alleges Maine's policy is in violation of Title IX, the landmark civil rights legislation enacted in 1972 that prohibits sex-based discrimination in any education program or activity receiving federal financial assistance.

"The State of Maine, through its Department of Education, is openly and defiantly flouting federal anti-discrimination law by enforcing policies that require girls to compete against boys in athletic competitions designated exclusively for girls," states the lawsuit announced by AG Bondi. "By prioritizing gender identity over biological reality, Maine's policies deprive girl athletes of fair competition, deny them equal athletic opportunities, and expose them to heightened risks of physical injury and psychological harm."

One high profile examples that fueled passions on both sides of the issue occurred in a Maine high school track competition. It involved a transgender pole vaulter from Greely High School, who won Maine's Class B Girls state championship in February. The athlete had competed, unsuccessfully, in the boys competition two seasons earlier. The controversy was fresh when Governor Mills was originally challenged by President Trump.

One Maine school district, Maine School Administrative District 70, does not agree with the position of its governor and its school board has voted unanimously to uphold the federal definition of Title IX and ban trans men from playing women's sports.

District 7, Tyler Putnam MSAD 70 Schools Superintendent

"It's unfortunate. In this situation, local schools are dealing with being caught in the middle between the fight between the federal government and the state government," said Tyler Putnam, Superintendent of MSAD 70 in nationally televised interview on Fox News. "In this situation, my school board and my community believes the President is spot on and believes the interpretation of Federal IX law is to have biological males playing with biological males, and the same thing with biological females playing biological females."

Putnam indicated it's a matter of common sense, especially in light of the limited resources local school boards have to administer their athletic programs.

"Rural schools, right now our budgets are struggling and this is something we cannot afford to spend extra money on. Our students need resources and truly we believe we can get some people in the same room together and have some conversations, instead of going over social media or over the media, to make sure we are putting these kids first and are making decisions that are going to benefit them and their futures."

Finally, Putnam emphasized that his community was united in the stand it is taking against the state.

"We're a very rural community. We make decisions based on what our community is telling us," added Putnam. "This wasn't a rushed decision. We took three months and had different platforms where our community could come out and speak. We got multiple opinions from two attorneys, to see what pathways we had. We didn't want to go in this direction because it is not our responsibility. We believe it is the state's and federal goverment's responsibility, but at this point, I had some school members say this is what we are passionate about and we want to make sure our students are participating in sports in a way with which they are comfortable."

Although this action marks the first legal action between the DOJ and the State of Maine on the specific issue of alleged Title IX violations, the two sides have been gearing up since the February showdown at the White House.

On April 2, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins announced that the administration was freezing federal funds for certain administrative and technological in state schools. Maine Attorney General Aaron Frey countered with a federal lawsuit. As reported by the Associated Press, District Court Judge John Woodcock issued a temporary restraining order on Apil 11, ordering the administration to unfreeze funds intended for a child nutrition program in Maine.

Legal experts this fight to expand to other states and eventually find its way to the Supreme Court. It could also force the nation's highest court to eventually rule on the definitions of what is a man and a woman.

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