SAINT PAUL, Minn. (KTTC) –More than a dozen southeast Minnesota public school board members are urging state leaders to comply with a ban on transgender athletes in girl’s sports.

It’s part of a grassroots effort under on the website titleixmn.com, which includes the branding—“Protect Students. Protect Public School Funding.”

The correspondence is directed toward the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) and Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL).

Last week, the U.S. Department of Education announced it had found the state was in violation of Title IX for allowing transgender athletes to compete in girl’s sports like skiing, la crosse, track and field, volleyball and softball.

Federal officials provided 10 days for the state to voluntarily resolve its alleged Title IX violations or enforcement action. That 10 day deadline is this Friday, Oct. 10.

This week’s letter, penned by the group of school board members, which, as of 5 p.m. Tuesday included nearly 140 names, stated, “Protecting fairness in women’s sports is paramount. The federal determination highlights how permitting males to compete on female teams displaces female athletes from podiums, denies them advancement opportunities, and diminishes their visibility and recognition in competitions. Female students in our districts and across Minnesota deserve equal chances to excel in sports, free from unfair physical advantages that biological differences confer. By entering into the resolution agreement, MDE and MSHSL can ensure equal treatment and foster an environment where female athletes can thrive.”

The letter indicated the school board members’ views are those of their own and their constituents, and not their respective school districts.

“Swift compliance is essential to protect the federal funding that supports Minnesota’s schools,” the letter added. “Continued noncompliance risks the withholding of federal financial assistance, which would adversely affect educational programs, extracurricular activities, and resources for over 875,000 students statewide.”

School board members from the local area include at least one elected leader from these 10 districts:

Caledonia
Cannon Falls
Chatfield
Dover-Eyota
Goodhue
Lake City
Owatonna
Plainview-Elgin-Millville
Red Wing
Zumbrota Mazeppa

In addition to MDE and MSHSL, the correspondence has also been shared with the attorney general and governor, along with state lawmakers.

“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,” Attorney General Keith Ellison wrote in a statement to KTTC. “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.”

Ellison has filed a lawsuit against the U.S. government alleging executive orders signed by President Donald Trump violate current state laws.

“Letting the very small number of transgender students in Minnesota play on their school sports teams doesn’t harm anyone, but segregating them does,” said Ellison. “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.

KTTC also reached out Tuesday to MDE and MSHSL, but have not received a response. The governor’s office has also not replied to our request for comment.

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