Trump Admin Launches Investigation Into MSHSL Transgender Policy

BROOKLYN CENTER, MN — The U.S. Department of Education on Wednesday announced investigations into the Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL) and the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) for their transgender athlete policies.

Both sports leagues "publicly announced plans to violate federal antidiscrimination laws related to girls’ and women’s sports," the DOE said. "This includes the possibility of allowing male athletes to compete in women’s sports and use women’s intimate facilities."

"The Minnesota State High School League and the California Interscholastic Federation are free to engage in all the meaningless virtue-signaling that they want, but at the end of the day they must abide by federal law," said Acting Assistant Secretary for the Office Of Civil Rights (OCR) Craig Trainor.

"OCR’s Chicago and San Francisco regional offices will conduct directed investigations into both organizations to ensure that female athletes in these states are treated with the dignity, respect, and equality that the Trump Administration demands. I would remind these organizations that history does not look kindly on entities and states that actively opposed the enforcement of federal civil rights laws that protect women and girls from discrimination and harassment."

President Donald Trump’s Feb. 5 executive order, "Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports," states that "it is the policy of the United States to rescind all funds from educational programs that deprive women and girls of fair athletic opportunities," and to take "all appropriate action to affirmatively protect all-female athletic opportunities and all-female locker rooms and thereby provide the equal opportunity guaranteed by Title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972."

Following Trump's order, the MSHSL reportedly announced their intentions to abide by state law, which allows athletes to participate on teams based on an individual’s gender identity rather than biological sex.

FOX 9 obtained a copy of the letter that MSHSL sent to its member schools:

In Minnesota, participation and eligibility of transgender student-athletes is determined by state law, through the Minnesota Human Rights Act and the Minnesota Constitution. The Minnesota State High School League, similar to other youth sports organizations, is subject to state anti-discrimination laws, which prohibit discrimination based on gender identity.

Therefore, students in Minnesota are allowed to participate consistent with their gender identity. League Member Schools have done excellent work in respecting students and their individual situations as they determine their participation and eligibility within interscholastic sports.

The League will continue to review the existing state laws alongside the new Presidential Executive Order and its timeline, processes for states, and requirements that are included.

State laws do not override federal anti-discrimination laws, and these entities and their member schools remain subject to Title IX and its implementing regulations, federal officials said.

Last week, the Trump administration launched similar investigations into San Jose State University, the University of Pennsylvania, and the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association for reported violations of Title IX.

The Trump administration said they are reviewing athletic participation policies at a number of schools to evaluate their compliance with Title IX protections for female athletes.