(Paraphrased from one of today’s Star Tribune newsletter emails:)
A growing number of school board members want Minnesota to reverse its transgender athlete policy. More than 150 school board members have signed a letter calling on the state to comply with a federal mandate that forbids transgender athletes from competing in high school girls sports.
After almost two days of circulation, the number of signees rose to about 7% of the state’s school board members on Tuesday, including large chunks of the boards in the Lakeville, Anoka-Hennepin, and Farmington districts.
Money is on the line, … Elliot Hughes reports. Officials warned that Minnesota could lose federal education funding if the state Department of Education and the MSHSL don’t change their policies by Friday.
“Every dollar really counts,” said Matt Swanson, chair of the Lakeville school board, who was a signee. “It’s a funding issue. I’m not trying to get on the soapbox.”
But in a response Tuesday to the members’ letter, state Attorney General Keith Ellison said complying with the federal government’s “bullying of transgender kids” would violate the Minnesota Human Rights Act.
[more at the Star Tribune]
Here is an addendum to this story:
Minnesota tells Trump administration it won’t respond now to demands over transgender athletes.
The state sent a letter to the administration on Friday declining to give a “substantive response” to a federal Title IX investigation amid uncertainty over timing and the government shutdown.
By Mara Klecker
The Minnesota Star Tribune
October 10, 2025 at 7:18PM