Dept. Of Education Elevates Title IX Investigations Into Minnesota Over Trans Athlete Policies
Officials cracking down after a trans-identifying male helped win a girls’ softball championship
The U.S. Department of Education announced Friday that it is elevating its Title IX investigations into the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) and the Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL) to the agency’s Title IX Special Investigations Team — a joint effort with the U.S. Department of Justice created to fast-track enforcement of federal civil rights law.
The move comes just days after a trans-identifying male athlete led Champlin Park High School to a girls’ softball state championship.
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In a statement, U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon cited Minnesota’s "continued indifference to females’ civil rights" as the reason for the escalation.
"The Trump Administration has a duty to protect women and girls and uphold federal civil rights, and I am pleased to partner with Attorney General Pam Bondi to elevate the Department’s investigations in Minnesota to the Title IX Special Investigations Team," McMahon said.
"We must ensure women and girls are not stripped of their hard-earned accolades or subjected to the danger and indignity of unfair competitions, and we will fight to restore antidiscrimination protections under Title IX to the fullest extent of the law."
Minnesota Chose To Defy President Trump's Executive Order To Protect Women's Sports
Back in February, President Donald Trump signed an executive order banning males from competing in girls' and women's sports, citing Title IX protections for female athletes. The order made clear that any state failing to comply would risk losing federal funding.
Almost immediately, Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL) announced that it would continue allowing student-athletes to compete in events consistent with their gender identity, regardless of biological sex. The league cited the Minnesota Human Rights Act and the state constitution as the basis for its policy.
RELATED: Will President Trump Call Out Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz Over Male Athletes in Girls’ Sports?
The Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights (OCR) quickly launched a Title IX investigation into MSHSL. On June 3, OCR opened a second Title IX investigation into MDE after receiving a complaint alleging that its policies allow males to participate in girls’ sports and access female-only intimate facilities. Both cases have now been elevated to the Special Investigations Team.
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This latest action follows public backlash over a 17-year-old biological male who pitched 21-straight innings in the Minnesota girls’ Class AAAA state softball tournament to win a state title. The pitcher was also named to the All-Tournament team.
Despite growing criticism from female athletes and parents across the state, Minnesota has doubled down on its gender policies. The state officially declared itself a "trans refuge" last year under Governor Tim Walz — and Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison has filed suit against the Trump administration in defiance of the executive order banning male athletes from girls’ and women’s sports.
The Department of Education, which is recognizing June as "Title IX Month" in honor of the law’s 53rd anniversary, said this case exemplifies the need for firm federal enforcement to protect women's sports and safety.