WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Department of Education (ED) has escalated its Title IX enforcement actions against the Maine Department of Education (MDOE) by referring the matter to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) for further legal action. Additionally, ED has launched an administrative proceeding to determine the termination of federal K-12 education funding for Maine, which could affect both formula and discretionary grants.
The decisive measures follow MDOE’s refusal to address findings of noncompliance with Title IX, a federal law that prohibits sex-based discrimination in education programs receiving federal funds. ED’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) identified discriminatory policies, including allowing males to participate in female sports and use women-only intimate spaces, as violations of Title IX regulations. MDOE rejected a proposed Resolution Agreement to voluntarily resolve these issues, prompting ED to take enforcement action.
“The Department has given Maine every opportunity to come into compliance with Title IX, but the state’s leaders have stubbornly refused to do so, choosing instead to prioritize an extremist ideological agenda over their students’ safety, privacy, and dignity,” said Acting Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Craig Trainor. “The Maine Department of Education will now have to defend its discriminatory practices before a Department administrative law judge and in a federal court against the Justice Department.”
OCR initially issued a noncompliance finding on March 19, followed by a final warning to the state on March 31. ED’s position aligns with President Trump’s Executive Order Keeping Men out of Women’s Sports, which emphasizes safeguarding female athletes from competing against or sharing private spaces with male individuals.
The pending legal and administrative actions highlight the federal government’s continued commitment to ensuring Title IX compliance and protecting student rights in educational settings.
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