Maine school officials address refusal to ban trans athletes from girls' sports amid deadline for consequences
Friday is the official deadline for Maine to comply with President Donald Trump's "Keeping Men Out of Women's Sports" executive order or risk a second referral to the Department of Justice.
The Maine Principal's Association (MPA) and the Maine Department of Education have already been referred to the Department of Justice (DOJ) by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and face a potential second referral by the U.S. Department of Education on Friday. The state has also seen a freeze in funding from the USDA for its continued non-compliance.
The MPA and its president, Kim Liscomb, have come under local scrutiny in recent weeks for failing to amend its policies on trans athlete inclusion in public schools, as one resident, Nick Blanchard, has launched a petition to have Liscomb removed from her position as principal of Cony Middle and High School.
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The MPA released a statement addressing this scrutiny and the association's refusal to change its gender eligibility policy, suggesting it may change the policy if legislation is put in place.
"For the last year Kim Liscomb, president of the Maine Principals’ Association Board of Directors, has faithfully executed her duties leading our organization. Recently, there has been local attention focused on her, which could be related to the Maine Principals’ Association’s policy on sports participation. If Congress or the State Legislature changes the law, we will adapt our policy accordingly," read a copy of the statement obtained by Fox News Digital.
"In her role as MPA president, Kim has shown leadership, compassion, and commitment to guiding the MPA with her extensive experience in education. When she finishes her one-year term as president this summer, she will be missed."
MAINE RESIDENTS AGREE WITH KEEPING TRANS ATHLETES OUT OF GIRLS' AND WOMEN'S SPORTS, POLL SHOWS
The MPA previously addressed its first referral to the DOJ, citing the Maine Human Rights Act (MHRA), which was amended four years ago to add gender identity as a protected class, for its continued reluctance to ban trans athletes from girls' sports.
"The Maine Principals’ Association is bound by the law, including the Maine Human Rights Act (MHRA), which our participation policy reflects," officials said. "We are unable to sign any resolution agreement that would mandate we create a new policy that would violate the law and MHRA."
The gender identity amendment to the MHRA stated that denying a person an equal opportunity to participate in sports is discrimination against education. The Maine Principals’ Association updated its policy to allow athletes to compete against the gender they identify as last year.
A University of New Hampshire poll released last week showed that most Maine residents agree that transgender athletes should not compete in girls’ and women’s sports.
The poll showed that 64% of Maine residents believe transgender athletes "definitely should not" or "probably should not" participate in girls’ and women’s sports. Only 29% of Maine residents believed that transgender athletes "probably should" or "definitely should" compete against girls and women in sports.
The poll also showed that 56% of Maine Democrats believe that transgender athletes should be allowed to compete in girls’ and women’s sports.
When it came to enacting policies to combat the issue of transgender participation in sports, the poll showed that 50% of Maine residents wanted it at the federal level, while 41% believe policy should be left up to the states.
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