The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services declared that the state violated Title IX by providing Maine with a notice of violation on February 25th, allowing trans athletes to compete in women's sports.
According to a notice obtained by Fox News Digital, the Maine Department of Education violates Title IX by refusing to have a “equal opportunity” to participate in athletics by allowing male athletes to compete with female athletes in current and future athletic events.
Notices may also be referred to the Department of Justice if the violation is not corrected.
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Maine Capitol will be seen at the dawn of Augusta on January 3, 2024. (AP photo/Robert F. Bucati)
The notice refused to comply with the President's February executive order to keep biological men out of women and women's sports amid a feud between President Donald Trump and Maine Gov. Janet Mills.
The state battle has been called “Ground Zero” in the national battle after state legislator Laurel Libby pointed out a social media post to the trans athlete who won the women's pole vault competition in February.
“If Maine Democrats continue to double to allow biological men to participate in women's sports, our students will lose hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funds. Governor Mills and the Legislative Democrats have new opportunities to do the right thing, telling the Main Girls about restored funds and fairness and level playfields.
“We appreciate the Trump administration's swift and decisive action and will continue to stick to our common mission of supporting the rights of women and girls in Maine.”
Transathlete Libby's revelation sparked coverage of state policies on national conversation and trans-inclusion after Maine announced it would not comply with Trump's executive order.
Trump then vowed to cut funds to the state for refusing to comply with his orders during a gathering of governors at the White House.
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A day later, Mills' office responded with a statement threatening legal action against the Trump administration if it withholds federal funds from the state. Trump and Mills then spawned verbally in a widely publicized discussion at the White House during a bipartisan meeting of the governor.
Hours after that interaction, the U.S. Department of Education announced that it would investigate the state to allow trans-athletes to compete with women's sports for potential Title IX violations.
Police protection was then assigned to high schools attended by trans athletes identified by Libby in a Facebook post amid concerns over safety.
The Maine House of Representatives voted to denounce Libby on February 25th. This is the same day the Department of Health and Human Services determined that it had violated the state.
The controversy sparked a protest against Mills, known as the “March against Mills” that took place outside the state capitol in Maine on Saturday morning. Several female athletes took microphones on the march and opposed the Democratic governor.
In response, a day later, the pro-trans activist protested outside Libby's home, opposed her beliefs about transgender athletes in women and girls' sports.
According to the Mainwire, only eight protesters appeared outside Libby's house, reading “4 of shame to exploit your child”, “Trans Youth”, “Protect your political interests” and “Shameful.”
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President Donald Trump and Maine Gov. Janet Mills clashed in the White House over compliance with the executive order. (Pool via AP/Win McNamee/Getty Images)
During his joint speech to Congress Tuesday night, Trump reaffirmed his intention to punish trans athletes for states that continue to compete with girls.
White House spokesman Caroline Leavitt insisted that Trump “will not step back” as he was chasing these states.
“The president has pledged to ensure that the state is responsible if he continues to allow men in women's sports. He believes this is a terrible violation of the taxpayer dollar, and the fight continues and the president will not set back. “This is a common sense policy, with 80% of Americans, including over 60% of Democrats, who don't want men in women's sports.”
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