A Maine school district and the Maine Principals’ Association will not sign an agreement with the federal government saying they violated federal law by allowing transgender students to play sports.
On March 17, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services gave Greely High School in Cumberland and the Maine Principals’ Association 10 days to voluntarily sign the agreement saying that they violated Title IX by allowing transgender girls to compete in girls’ sports.
HHS found the Maine Department of Education, Greely High School and the MPA are in violation of the landmark 1972 law that bars sex-based discrimination in schools.
Maine School Administrative District 51 and the MPA will not sign the letters, the organizations said. Both organizations will continue to follow Maine state law and the Maine Human Rights Act, they said.
The Maine Department of Education was also asked to sign the agreement. The department has deferred all comment to the Office of the Maine Attorney General, which does not have comment at this time, spokesperson Danna Hayes said.
It’s unclear what happens next if all parties refuse to sign the agreement by the 10-day deadline, which expires Thursday. U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi has threatened to sue Maine if the state does not comply with the Trump administration around transgender athletes competing in sports.
“The MSAD #51 Board of Directors is guided by the Mission, Vision, and Core Values of our district,” the district said in a letter Wednesday. “This includes promoting a safe, caring and ethical learning environment where each person will be treated with respect and fairness; and individuals are recognized, valued and supported.”
The MPA will not sign an agreement that will mandate the creation of a new policy and force it to violate Maine’s human rights act, MPA spokesperson Jared Bornstein said.
“We were not a direct recipient of that agreement, so we are not required to respond,” Bornstein said.
The school district thanked students for their maturity and dedication to learning despite all of the distractions, as well as thanking staff for “unwavering commitment” to students, the letter said.
