“Investigations conducted by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights (ED OCR) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Civil Rights (HHS OCR) have concluded that the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) and the Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL) are in violation of Title IX by allowing males to compete in female sports and occupy female intimate facilities.” – titleixmn.com
Over 100 school board directors across Minnesota have signed a letter urging the MN Department of Education (MDE) and Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL) to comply with Title IX federal law and protect female athletes. Our very own PLSAS board directors Lisa Atkinson, Jessica Mason, Charles Johnson and Dan White have signed.
In response to being asked about the Title IX ruling and biological boys competing in girls sports in PLSAS, Jon Conlon states, “As a dad of a female athlete, I fully support protecting fairness in girls’ sports. Title IX is clear, and if Minnesota doesn’t follow it, we risk losing federal funding that supports our schools. I commend the board members who took a stand to do what’s right and follow the law. This isn’t about politics or leaving the MSHSL, it’s about fairness, fiscal responsibility (putting additional burden on our local districts), and keeping our focus on where it belongs: on our students”.
Dustin Smith replied with, “As a disability rights advocate, inclusion is a core value of mine. As a person, telling a child that they do not belong in a space that gives them joy or connects them to their peers is- in my eyes- fundamentally wrong.”
