Minnesota declines federal Title IX ultimatum; AG cites shutdown as 253 board members urge compliance
After the U.S. Department of Education and HHS found Minnesota in violation of Title IX for allowing males to compete in girls' sports and set a Friday deadline tied to the Trump administration’s "Keeping Men Out of Women's Sports" effort, Minnesota AG Keith Ellison told federal civil‑rights offices the state would not provide a substantive response amid a federal shutdown, effectively declining the ultimatum. Ellison — who has sued the administration over the enforcement push and argues excluding transgender students violates Minnesota law and harms no one — faces pressure from hundreds of school board members (253 across 105 boards urging compliance) while litigation continues from girls who say they were affected by a transgender pitcher, Marissa Rothenberger.
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đź“Ś Key Facts
- The U.S. Department of Education found Minnesota in violation of Title IX at the end of September and set a Friday deadline for the state to change its transgender‑athlete policies or risk federal funding freezes, citing President Trump’s Feb. 5 "Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports" executive order as the enforcement basis.
- Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison has filed suit against the Trump administration over the executive order, says the administration’s funding threats violate the U.S. Constitution, Minnesota law, and Title IX, and has signaled opposition to complying with the DOE deadline while the matter is before the courts.
- Ellison has publicly argued that allowing the relatively small number of transgender students to play in girls’ sports "doesn't harm anyone," contends that excluding them violates the Minnesota Human Rights Act, and is defending that position in litigation.
- As the deadline loomed, local officials pressed state leaders to comply to protect federal funding: an initial group of more than 40 school board members expanded to 245 across 104 districts and later to 253 board members across 105 boards urging compliance and warning of funding risks.
- The letters from school board members were sent to Minnesota officials including MDE Commissioner Willie Jett, MSHSL Executive Director Erich Martens and Board President Brett Schimek (with Gov. Tim Walz copied), urging policy action to protect roughly 875,000 students from potential funding cuts.
- Separately, three anonymous girls’ softball players have sued state agencies after competing against transgender pitcher Marissa Rothenberger of Champlin Park; Rothenberger pitched a complete‑game shutout and hit the winning double in a Minnesota state tournament semifinal, and one opposing player, Kendall Kotzmacher, gave a first‑person interview about the game and its emotional aftermath and is now a freshman at Western Michigan University.
- On Oct. 11, Minnesota effectively declined the Trump administration’s ultimatum to amend transgender‑athlete policies, with AG Ellison sending a letter saying the state would not provide a substantive response at this time due to the federal government shutdown.
đź“š 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.
đź“° Sources (6)
Minnesota declines Trump admin's ultimatum to protect girls sports despite pleas from schools and athletes
New information:
- Minnesota AG Keith Ellison sent a Friday letter to the U.S. Department of Education and HHS Offices for Civil Rights stating the state would not provide a substantive response at this time due to the federal shutdown.
- Minnesota effectively declined the Trump administration’s deadline/ultimatum to amend transgender athlete policies framed as protecting girls’ sports.
- Updated tally: 253 school board members across 105 boards signed a letter urging compliance, warning of potential federal funding risks.
- Article reiterates that Ellison has already filed suit against the administration over the enforcement effort.
Growing wave of Minnesota school officials urge state to protect girls' sports as Trump's deadline arrives
New information:
- Signatories rose to 245 school board members across 104 districts (up from about 40 earlier in the week).
- Letter recipients specified: MDE Commissioner Willie Jett; MSHSL Executive Director Erich Martens and Board President Brett Schimek; AG Keith Ellison; Gov. Tim Walz copied.
- Ellison reiterated that letting transgender students play 'doesn't harm anyone,' and argued the administration’s funding-threats violate the U.S. Constitution, Minnesota law, and Title IX; he said the matter is before the court.
- Article reaffirms DOE found Minnesota in violation of Title IX at the end of September and set a Friday deadline for policy changes.
Minnesota attorney general says trans athletes in girls' sports 'doesn't harm anyone' despite complaints
New information:
- Minnesota AG Keith Ellison publicly stated that allowing the small number of transgender students to play 'doesn't harm anyone' and that segregating them does.
- Ellison asserted that excluding trans students from school sports violates the Minnesota Human Rights Act.
- Article reiterates Minnesota faces a Friday U.S. Department of Education deadline to change trans-athlete policies tied to President Trump’s 'Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports' executive order.
- Ellison has filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration over the executive order and signals opposition to complying with the DOE’s deadline.
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.