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The list of Minnesota School Board members who have signed a letter calling on state agencies to protect girls’ sports from trans athletes has been multiplied since it was launched earlier this week.
From Friday afternoon, the number of school board members signing the letter was 245, spanning 104 school districts across the state. The same list had just about 40 signatures on Tuesday.
The added signatures come as the state is facing a deadline on Friday from the US Ministry of Education (Doe) to change its policies to keep biological men out of girls’ sports. Doe decided that the state violated title IX with its current policies in late September.
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The letter is addressed to the 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. Government Tim Walz is copied on the letter.
“Compliance with section IX is not only a legal obligation, but also important in maintaining the integrity of our educational and athletic programs,” the letter reads.
“Protection of justice in women’s sports is most important. Federal determination highlights how allowing men to compete for female teams displacing female athletes from podiums, denies them progress and diminishes their visibility and recognition in competitions.
“Female students in our districts and across Minnesota deserve equal chances of excel in sports, free of unreasonable physical benefits that biological differences provide. By entering into the dissolution agreement, MDE and MSHSL can ensure equal treatment and promote an environment where female athletes can thrive.”
Ellison responded to the letter and insisted that letting men in girls’ sports do not hurt anyone. “
“School sports are not just a great way to get training, they help children build friendships, make them feel like they belong, and teach them important life lessons, such as how to work as a team, how to treat their competition with respect and how to win with grace and lose with dignity,” Ellison said. “Letting the very small number of transking students in Minnesota play on their school sports team do not hurt anyone but to separate them does. Exclusion is a violation of the Minnesota Human Rights Act that has protected Trans -Children’s rights to participate in all leisure activities for decades.
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“I’m also concerned about the Trump administration’s threats of cutting education financing for children over Minnesota, but this case is in court right now,” he added. “The threats of the federal government are in violation of the US Constitution, Minnesota Act and IX section IX. I struggle to prevent these harmful cuts, stop administration’s bullying of transking children who just want to live their lives in peace and protect the rights and freedom of all our students in Minnesota.”
Ellison’s response comes despite the fact that several girls’ high school students in his state have talked about how the experience of facing trans-athletes has affected them, while some have even brought a lawsuit on the question.
Three anonymous girls brought a lawsuit against the state’s educational agencies in the spring after having to compete against a transgender softball pitcher.
One of the applicants former Pakinomist Digital told about what it was like to play against Trans Pitcher.
“This question has affected me in ways I never imagined. It’s simply unfair and I hate that nothing is happening to change it,” the player said. “Boys should not be able to take girls’ spots on teams just because they are able to do so. I hope more girls affected by this question will stand up against this.”
Another anonymous player directly called Ellison to support the policies that have enabled Trans Pitcher to play against women.
“It’s really troubling to know that [Ellison] Does not take the rights for girls and women seriously. He allows boys to compete with girls, and it’s not safe and completely unfair, “the player told Pakinomist Digital.” Knowing that AG Ellison is in full support for letting boys and men take advantage of women in sports is absolutely disgusting and wrong. “
Former White Bear Lake High School Softball Player Kendall Kotzmacher Earlier, Pakinomist told Digital that losing to a trans pitcher in the state tournament left her in tears.
“How do you recognize that you lost against a biological man? How do you treat the events that happened? And it was something all night I still couldn’t. … We lost to a biological man in a female state tournament,” Kotzmacher said.
Kotzmacher also pointed out Walz’s story as a high school football coach and saw the physical skill of male colleges athletes up close.
“As a coach, you need to see the differences and the huge difference that there is between biological men and biological women,” Kotzmacher told Pakinomist Digital.
If Minnesota’s state agencies do not agree on a change with the Trump administration by the end of Friday, it is likely to result in a trial from the Ministry of Justice (DOJ).
DOJ has already brought similar lawsuits against Maine and California on the issue.
MDE and MSHSSL did not immediately respond to Pakinomist Digital’s request for comment.
