Overview

• The U.S. Education Department has referred Maine to the Justice Department for enforcement after the state missed the April 11 deadline to comply with federal Title IX mandates.
• President Trump's executive order bans transgender athletes from participating in girls' sports, a policy Maine Governor Janet Mills has openly defied, citing state human rights protections.
• Federal funding for Maine schools, including critical Title I and child nutrition programs, has been frozen, with public universities like the University of Maine System reversing course to restore funding.
• Health and Human Services investigations have expanded to include Maine school districts and the Maine Principals’ Association for alleged Title IX violations.
• The legal standoff underscores broader national debates on transgender rights, fairness in sports, and the federal government’s use of funding as leverage.