A Maine public school district is facing a federal civil rights investigation after allowing a transgender girl to participate on a middle school co-ed cheerleading team, placing the district at the center of a growing national dispute over transgender student inclusion in school activities.
The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights announced this week that it has opened an investigation into Regional School Unit 19 following a complaint alleging the district violated Title IX by permitting a transgender girl to join a cheerleading squad.
According to the Department of Education, the investigation will examine whether the district maintains policies that allow “male students to participate in athletic programs designated for female students” and whether it permits access to facilities designated for girls in violation of federal law.
School officials, however, dispute the characterization of the cheerleading team. District leaders say the squad has always been co-ed and open to students of all genders.
Superintendent Michael Hammer told local media that boys and girls routinely participate on the cheerleading team and that no student was displaced or excluded due to the transgender student’s participation. He added that the district had not received complaints from parents or students prior to the federal inquiry.
“It’s a co-ed cheering team. Boys can join, girls can join,” Hammer said.
The federal investigation comes amid significant changes in how the Department of Education interprets Title IX, the 1972 civil rights law that prohibits sex-based discrimination in schools receiving federal funding. While previous federal guidance extended Title IX protections to include gender identity, that interpretation has since been reversed, prompting increased scrutiny of school districts with inclusive policies.
The complaint against RSU 19 also alleges the district allowed the transgender student access to girls’ facilities. District officials said they were not aware of any formal complaint regarding facilities use before the investigation was announced and noted that the district does not have a written policy addressing the issue.
Maine law adds another layer of complexity to the case. The Maine Human Rights Act explicitly protects transgender people from discrimination in education, including participation in extracurricular activities. As a result, school districts in the state are required to follow state nondiscrimination standards even as federal enforcement priorities shift.
The RSU 19 case is one of at least 18 Title IX related investigations announced by the Department of Education this week, targeting school districts across multiple states that have adopted gender-inclusive practices.
Advocates for transgender students say the investigations are likely to have a chilling effect on schools attempting to comply with state nondiscrimination laws and support student inclusion. Critics of transgender participation in school activities argue the investigations are necessary to enforce sex-based protections under federal law.
The Department of Education has not provided a timeline for completing the investigation or indicated what actions, if any, may be taken against the district.
