Overview:
Maine is at the center of debate for federal education money due to their stance on transgender athletes competing against girls.
The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) has launched a directed investigation into the Maine Department of Education (MDOE) following allegations that the state continues to allow transgender athletes to compete in girls’ sports and denies female athletes access to female-only facilities. The investigation extends to Maine School Administrative District #51 (MSAD #51), where Greely High School has reportedly permitted at least one transgender female student to compete in girls’ athletic categories.
The probe follows President Donald Trump’s recent warning at the Republican Governors Association dinner that Maine risks losing federal funding if it does not comply with Title IX regulations. Title IX prohibits sex-based discrimination in federally funded educational programs, and OCR officials contend that Maine’s policies violate these protections.
Craig Trainor, Acting Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, emphasized that federal funding is contingent on compliance with Title IX. “If Maine wants to continue to receive federal funds from the Education Department, it has to follow Title IX. If it wants to forgo federal funds and continue to trample the rights of its young female athletes, that, too, is its choice,” Trainor stated. “OCR will do everything in its power to ensure taxpayers are not funding blatant civil rights violators.”
Maine Governor Janet Mills responded forcefully to the investigation, framing it as a political maneuver and an overreach of executive power. “To me, that is fundamentally what is at stake here: the rule of law in our country,” she said in a statement.
“No President—Republican or Democrat—can withhold federal funding authorized and appropriated by Congress and paid for by Maine taxpayers in an attempt to coerce someone into compliance with his will,” Mills continued. “It is a violation of our Constitution and of our laws, which I took an oath to uphold.”
Governor Mills further argued that Maine’s investigation could set a dangerous precedent, warning that federal overreach could soon extend beyond athletics. “Today, the President of the United States has targeted one particular group on one particular issue which Maine law has addressed. But you must ask yourself: who and what will he target next? Will it be you? Will it be because of your race or your religion? Will it be because you look different or think differently? Where does it end?”
Maine Attorney General Aaron Frey echoed Mills’ sentiments, vowing to defend the state’s policies. “We will do everything in our power to defend Maine’s laws,” Frey stated, underscoring the state’s commitment to protecting transgender athletes’ rights.
The investigation into Maine’s policies follows President Trump’s February 5 Executive Order, Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports, which directs federal agencies to take “all appropriate action to protect all-female athletic opportunities” and mandates that the United States “rescind all funds from educational programs that deprive women and girls of fair athletic opportunities” under Title IX.
Maine is not the only state under scrutiny. Earlier this month, OCR announced investigations into the Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL) and the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) for similar policies permitting transgender athletes to compete in girls’ sports. Federal officials have signaled that more states could face similar scrutiny.
As the legal battle unfolds, the MDOE and MSAD #51 will be required to cooperate with OCR’s investigation and provide documentation on their policies. The outcome of the probe could have significant implications for the state’s education funding and set a precedent for how transgender athlete policies are handled nationwide.
