NEWS ALERT: Hundreds of Minnesota educators join revolt against Walz over trans athletes

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From Fox News: The list of Minnesota school board members who have signed a letter urging state agencies to protect girls’ sports from trans athletes has multiplied since it launched earlier this week.

As of Friday afternoon, the number of school board members to sign the letter was 245, spanning 104 school districts across the state. The same list had just around 40 signatures on Tuesday.

The added signatures come as the state faces a Friday deadline from the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) to amend its policies to keep biological males out of girls’ sports. The DOE determined the state violated Title IX with its current policies at the end of September.

The letter is addressed to Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) Commissioner Willie Jett, Minnesota State High School League Executive (MHSSL) Director Erich Martens and board President Brett Schimek, and Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison. Gov. Tim Walz is copied on the letter.

The letter states:

“Compliance with Title IX is not only a legal obligation but also essential to maintaining the integrity of our educational and athletic programs. Protecting fairness in women’s sports is paramount. 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 districts and across Minnesota deserve equal chances to excel in sports, free from unfair physical advantages that biological differences confer. By entering into the resolution agreement, MDE and MSHSL can ensure equal treatment and foster an environment where female athletes can thrive.”

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, a Democrat and a Muslim, delivered a jaw-dropping response, and tried to blame the Trump administration, saying they’re threatening to cut funding for education.

“School sports aren’t just a good way to get exercise, they help kids build friendships, make them feel like they belong, and teach them important life lessons, like how to work as a team, how to treat their competition with respect, and how to win with grace and lose with dignity.

“Letting the very small number of transgender students in Minnesota play on their school sports teams doesn’t harm anyone, but segregating them does. Exclusion is a violation of the Minnesota Human Rights Act, which has protected the rights of trans kids to participate in all extracurricular activities for decades.

“I, too, am concerned about the Trump administration’s threats to cut education funding for kids across Minnesota, but this matter is before the court right now,” he added. “The federal government’s threats violate the U.S. Constitution, Minnesota law, and Title IX itself. I’m fighting to prevent these harmful cuts, stop the Administration’s bullying of transgender kids who just want to live their lives in peace, and protect the rights and freedoms of all our students in Minnesota.”

GOP Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.) wrote, “More than 100 school board members across Minnesota signed a letter urging state leaders to support Title IX. Knowing the difference between a man and a woman should be a requirement for the oath of office. Yet, we have a governor, @GovTimWalz, who doesn’t even know how to define what a woman is.”

On October 2, the Forest Lake school board sent a letter urging the Minnesota Department of Education to immediately comply with Title IX, writing, “failure to correct these violations directly threatens our schools’ ability to serve our students and communities.”

On Sept. 30, Education Secretary Linda MacMahon declared, “Minnesota’s Department of Ed and the Sports League allowing a male athlete to dominate girls’ softball is a clear Title IX violation. @USEDGov and @HHSOCR found they had been violating Title IX for years. The Trump Administration won’t stand for it.”

Meanwhile, Minnesota House Republicans just fired off a letter of their own Friday afternoon, and announced:

House Republicans have sent a letter to the MN Dept. of Ed demanding immediate compliance with federal Title IX law. The letter outlines findings of sex discrimination in schools and calls on the department to restore accountability and a focus on academic excellence.

Rep. Ron Kresha said in a statement, “When the federal government identifies a violation of Title IX, the state must respond quickly and clearly. School boards across Minnesota are right to expect accountability from the Department of Education and the High School League.”

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