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Feds find Minnesota in violation of Title IX over trans athletes • Minnesota Reformer [1]

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Date: 2025-09-30  

The U.S. Departments of Education and Health and Human Services say Minnesota is in violation of a federal law prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sex in programs that receive federal funds, citing the participation of transgender athletes in girls’ and women’s sports.

If Minnesota doesn’t take steps to voluntarily rectify the alleged Title IX violations within 10 days, the state will face “imminent enforcement” that could jeopardize federal funding.

The civil rights offices for the federal education and health and human services departments issued the joint noncompliance finding Wednesday, which states the Minnesota Department of Education and the Minnesota State High School League are violating Title IX by allowing males to compete in girls’ sports and occupy female locker rooms.

The Minnesota Department of Education “is reviewing the letter and remains committed to ensuring every child has the opportunity to thrive in a safe and supportive school community,” a spokesperson said in an email to the Reformer.

Previously, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison issued a formal legal opinion that states barring trans athlete participation would violate the Minnesota Human Rights Act.

Ellison also sued the Trump administration over its anti-trans executive orders, arguing in his suit that the administration can’t rescind federal funding under Title IX because doing so violates state sovereignty.

The Minnesota State High School League earlier this year announced that it would not comply with an executive order signed by President Donald Trump barring trans athletes from competing, because Minnesota’s anti-discrimination laws prohibit discrimination based on gender identity.

U.S. Department of Education’s Acting Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Craig Trainor issued a scathing statement Wednesday: “For too many years, Minnesota’s political leadership has found itself on the wrong side of justice, common sense and the American people. Now the Minnesota Department of Education and the Minnesota State High School League find themselves on the wrong side of Title IX by allowing males to compete in women’s sports,” he said.

Minnesota must now take steps as part of a “resolution agreement” or risk losing funding: changing policies “permitting males to compete in girls’ sports”; restoring “female athletes all records and titles misappropriated by male athletes competing in female categories”’ and requiring all federally funded entities that participate in Minnesota athletic programs “to adopt biology-based definitions of ‘male’ and ‘female.’”

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[1] Url: https://minnesotareformer.com/2025/09/30/feds-find-minnesota-in-violation-of-title-ix-over-trans-athletes/

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