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Trump Administration launches investigations into two Maine school districts

A proposed ban on transgender athletes playing female school sports in Utah would affect transgender girls like this 12-year-old swimmer seen at a pool in Utah on Monday, Feb. 22, 2021. She and her family spoke with The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity to avoid outing her publicly. She cried when she heard about the proposal that would ban transgender girls from competing on girls’ sports teams in public high schools, which would separate her from her friends. She’s far from the tallest girl on her team, and has worked hard to improve her times but is not a dominant swimmer in her age group, her coach said. “Other than body parts I’ve been a girl my whole life,” she said.
Rick Bowmer
/
AP
File photo - A 12-year-old transgender swimmer seen at a pool in Utah on Monday, Feb. 22, 2021.

The Trump Administration launched investigations into two Maine school districts today alleging that they violated Title IX by allowing students to participate in sports based on their ‘gender identity,’ rather than biological sex.

RSU 19 in Newport and RSU 57 in Waterboro were listed along with 16 other educational entities in 10 Democratic-led states across the country.

The release from the Federal Department of Education says the investigations were initiated based on complaints submitted to the Office for Civil Rights. The complaints assert that these districts maintain policies or practices that discriminate on the basis of sex.

Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Vermont also have school districts under investigation.

Journalist Madi Smith is Maine Public's Emerging Voices Journalism Fellow this year and is sponsored by support from the Abbagadassett Foundation.