Forest Lake school board urges state leaders to comply with Title IX, ban males from female sports 

The Forest Lake Area School Board is urging state leaders to immediately comply with Title IX by barring males from competing in female sports and using female-only spaces.

This comes after the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Department of Education announced Sept. 30 that the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) and the Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL) are in violation of the anti-discrimination law.

Specifically, the federal government said MSHSL and MDE violated Title IX by allowing males to participate in lacrosse, ski, volleyball, softball, and track and field teams that were designated for females.

Earlier this year, Alpha News reported on a transgender student athlete who competed on Champlin Park’s girls’ softball team and pitched a series of shutouts en route to winning the state softball championship.

According to the federal government’s findings, MDE, MSHSL, and various school districts knowingly allowed males into female sports which subsequently deprived female students of athletic opportunities, fair competition, and exposed them to greater risk of injury. The federal government also said males were allowed to use female intimate spaces.

“As recipients of federal financial assistance, failure to correct these violations directly threatens our schools’ ability to serve our students and communities. We urge the MDE and MSHSL to promptly enter into the resolution agreement offered by ED OCR and HHS OCR to rectify these issues, ensure ongoing compliance with federal law, and safeguard the educational opportunities and rights of all students in Minnesota,” the Forest Lake board said in its letter.

It was addressed to MDE Commissioner Willie Jett, MSHSL Board President Don Peschel and Executive Director Erich Martens, and Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison.

The letter urges the recipients to accept the terms of a resolution agreement put forward by the federal agencies, who warned that failure to resolve the Title IX violations will result in “enforcement action.”

“Compliance with Title IX is not only a legal obligation but also essential to maintaining the integrity of our educational and athletic programs. The federal findings observe that Title IX prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex, which refers to biological sex, not so-called gender identity,” says the letter, which was approved in a 4-3 vote during an Oct. 2 meeting.

“By allowing males to participate in female sports and access female intimate spaces, MDE and MSHSL have denied female students equal athletic opportunities and compromised their privacy, safety, and dignity—outcomes that undermine the very purpose of Title IX.”

School board members who voted in favor of sending the letter were: Mark Kasel, Curt Rebelein, Luke Hagglund, and Tessa Antonsen. Those who voted against it were: Gail Theisen, Julie Corcoran, and Jill Christenson.

“The federal determination highlights how permitting males to compete on female teams displaces female athletes from podiums, denies them advancement opportunities, and diminishes their visibility and recognition in competitions. Female students in our district and across Minnesota deserve equal chances to excel in sports, free from unfair physical advantages that biological differences confer,” the letter explains.

The letter also expresses support for “protecting the privacy and dignity” of students by keeping males out of female-only locker rooms and restrooms.

“Local administrators, teachers, coaches, and staff need clear, consistent guidance to implement policies that comply with federal law while serving our communities,” it concludes. “By entering into the resolution agreement promptly, MDE and MSHSL can provide the clarity that our districts and schools need to focus on educating and supporting students effectively.”

Anthony Gockowski

Anthony Gockowski is Editor-in-Chief of Alpha News. He previously worked as an editor for The Minnesota Sun and Campus Reform, and wrote for the Daily Caller.