Maine School District Takes Stance in Trump-Mills Transgender Sports Policy Debate
Maine School District Backs Trump in Transgender Sports Dispute with Governor
By Alex Raskin and Associated Press | Updated: 16 April 2025
A rural Maine school district has ignited a political firestorm by siding with former President Donald Trump in his ongoing clash with Democratic Governor Janet Mills over transgender athletes’ participation in girls’ sports. The Hodgdon school board voted unanimously to adopt policies recognizing only “biological male and female” sexes, effectively banning transgender students from competing on teams aligning with their gender identity.
Local Policy Shakes State-Federal Standoff
The MSAD #70 school board’s decision directs Superintendent Tyler Putnam to rewrite district policies to restrict sports teams and private spaces—like locker rooms—to students based on their biological sex. “Biological males will play with biological males, and the same for females,” Putnam told Fox News. The move aligns with Trump’s push to enforce Title IX, the federal law prohibiting sex-based discrimination in education, as a tool to exclude transgender athletes from women’s sports.
[Image: Hodgdon school board members voting, with caption: Hodgdon’s school board voted to support Trump’s stance on transgender athlete bans.]
Republican State Rep. Tracy Quint praised the decision, calling it a defense of “fairness, safety, and privacy” for students. The district, located near the Canadian border in a pro-Trump region, now faces legal uncertainties as Maine’s state laws protect transgender students’ rights.
Funding Freeze Sparks Legal Battle
The dispute escalated when the Trump administration withheld federal funds from Maine over its refusal to ban transgender athletes. In March, the U.S. Education Department accused Maine of violating Title IX by allowing transgender girls to compete on girls’ teams. The state lost access to over $1.8 million in federal child nutrition program funds, prompting Attorney General Aaron Frey to sue.
A federal judge temporarily ordered the release of frozen funds, but the broader conflict remains unresolved. Governor Mills has vowed to uphold state anti-discrimination laws, setting the stage for a prolonged court fight.
[Image: Gov. Janet Mills at a press conference, caption: Maine Governor Janet Mills has clashed with Trump over federal funding and transgender rights.]
Trump’s Warning to Mills
Tensions peaked during a February White House meeting when Trump confronted Mills about his executive order targeting transgender athletes. “You’d better comply,” he warned, threatening to withhold federal aid. Mills retorted that she would follow state and federal law, adding, “We’ll see you in court.”
The administration’s stance has drawn backlash from LGBTQ+ advocates, who argue it endangers transgender youth. Meanwhile, conservatives hail Hodgdon’s policy as a victory for women’s sports integrity.
[Image: Trump with Navy athletes, caption: Trump hosted the Navy football team days before the Maine funding dispute intensified.]
What’s Next?
Hodgdon’s policies must still undergo committee reviews, but the vote signals growing local resistance to state and federal LGBTQ+ protections. Legal experts warn that similar battles could emerge nationwide as schools navigate conflicting mandates.
For now, Maine’s transgender athletes remain in limbo, caught between state inclusivity efforts and a federal push for exclusion. As courts weigh in, the outcome could reshape Title IX’s application for years to come.
— Reporting by Alex Raskin; Images via Getty and Associated Press
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