Minnesota school boards urge compliance as DOE Title IX deadline nears; AG Ellison fights funding threats
With a federal Education Department deadline looming this Friday to change Minnesota’s trans‑athlete policies or risk federal funding freezes — an enforcement step tied to President Trump’s Feb. 5 executive order — more than 40 Minnesota school board members have urged state leaders, including Gov. Tim Walz’s education officials and Attorney General Keith Ellison, to comply to protect funding for more than 875,000 students. The dispute has intensified after three girls sued state agencies over facing Champlin Park pitcher Marissa Rothenberger in a state tournament semifinal (a game White Bear Lake’s Kendall Kotzmacher later described in a first‑person interview), and Ellison says the funding threats violate the Constitution, state law and Title IX and that he is fighting the cuts in court.
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📌 Key Facts
- The U.S. Department of Education set a Friday deadline for Minnesota to change its transgender‑athlete policies or risk federal funding freezes tied to Title IX enforcement.
- The DOE’s potential enforcement action is being pursued under the administration’s Feb. 5 executive order, “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports.”
- More than 40 Minnesota school board members sent a letter to state leaders — including Willie Jett, Attorney General Keith Ellison and Erich Martens — urging compliance to protect federal funding that supports more than 875,000 students.
- Prior Lake–Savage board member Lisa Atkinson told reporters the board’s appeal stresses protecting all students and warned the prospect of losing federal funds is a serious threat.
- Attorney General Keith Ellison said the administration’s funding threats violate the U.S. Constitution, Minnesota law and Title IX, and he is fighting the cuts in court.
- Three anonymous girls’ softball players have sued state agencies after competing against a transgender pitcher; reporting identifies the trans athlete as Marissa Rothenberger and notes her team’s postseason success.
- White Bear Lake High School player Kendall Kotzmacher gave a first‑person interview about facing Rothenberger in the Minnesota state tournament semifinal — saying Rothenberger threw a complete‑game shutout and hit the winning double — and Kotzmacher, now a freshman playing softball at Western Michigan University, described the emotional aftermath of the loss.
📚 Contextual Background
- The Office for Civil Rights is an office within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
- Debarment is a federal administrative process that can render an entity ineligible to receive federal grants.
- The Office for Civil Rights in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services referred Harvard University to a debarment process.
- The Office for Civil Rights sent a letter addressing the referral to Harvard President Alan Garber.
📰 Sources (3)
Minnesota leadership faces calls from schools to protect girls' sports as Trump's Title IX deadline looms
New information:
- DOE set a Friday deadline for Minnesota to change its trans‑athlete policies or risk federal funding freezes.
- More than 40 Minnesota school board members sent a letter to state leaders (Willie Jett, Keith Ellison, Erich Martens) urging compliance to protect funding for 875,000+ students.
- Quote from Prior Lake–Savage board member Lisa Atkinson stressing protection for all students and the seriousness of potential funding loss.
- AG Keith Ellison said the administration’s funding threats violate the U.S. Constitution, Minnesota law, and Title IX, noting the matter is before the court and he is fighting the cuts.
- Cites Trump’s Feb. 5 'Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports' executive order as the enforcement basis for potential freezes.
- Notes three anonymous girls’ softball players have sued state agencies after facing a trans pitcher; identifies the trans athlete (Marissa Rothenberger) and her team’s championship.
Minnesota teen softball player opens up on trans pitcher playoff game as Trump admin vows Title IX enforcement
New information:
- First-person interview and direct quotes from Kendall Kotzmacher, the White Bear Lake High School player who faced the pitcher in the state tournament semifinal.
- Specific game details: it was a Minnesota state tournament semifinal; Kotzmacher says Champlin Park pitcher Marissa Rothenberger threw a complete-game shutout and came up to hit the winning double.
- Personal follow-up detail: Kotzmacher is now a freshman playing softball at Western Michigan University and describes the emotional aftermath of the loss.