Protect Students

Protect Public School Funding

Commissioner Willie Jett
Minnesota Department of Education
400 NE Stinson Boulevard
Minneapolis, MN 55413

mde.commissioner@state.mn.us

 

Brett Schimek, Board President
Erich Martens, Executive Director
Minnesota State High School League
2100 Freeway Boulevard
Brooklyn Center, MN 55430

bschimek@isd317.org

emartens@mshsl.org

 

Keith Ellison

Office of Minnesota Attorney General

445 Minnesota Street
St. Paul, MN 55101

 

CC:

Governor Tim Walz

130 State Capitol - 75 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard

Saint Paul, MN 55155

 

Minnesota Legislators (see attached)

 

Re:       Urging Compliance with Title IX and Entry into Resolution Agreement Following U.S. Department of Education OCR and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services OCR Notice of Violation

 

Messrs Jett, Schimek, Martens and Ellison,

 

The undersigned elected members of school boards across the State of Minnesota, on behalf of ourselves and our constituents, not on behalf of our respective independent school districts, write to express our strong support for immediate compliance with Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, following the joint Letter of Findings and Notice of Violation issued on September 30, 2025, by the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights (ED OCR) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights (HHS OCR). This determination found that the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) and the Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL) are in violation of Title IX by permitting males to participate in female-designated athletic programs and to access female-only sensitive spaces, such as locker rooms and restrooms.

 

As recipients of federal financial assistance, failure to correct these violations directly threatens our schools’ ability to serve our students and communities.  We urge the MDE and MSHSL to promptly enter into the resolution agreement offered by ED OCR and HHS OCR to rectify these issues, ensure ongoing compliance with federal law, and safeguard the educational opportunities and rights of all students in Minnesota.

 

Compliance with Title IX is not only a legal obligation but also essential to maintaining the integrity of our educational and athletic programs. The federal findings observe that Title IX prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex, which refers to biological sex, not gender identity. By allowing males to participate in female sports and access female intimate spaces, MDE and MSHSL have denied female students equal athletic opportunities and compromised their privacy, safety, and dignity—outcomes that undermine the very purpose of Title IX. Entering into the resolution agreement will align state policies with federal requirements, safeguarding students’ rights and ensuring that our schools can operate without the risk of federal enforcement actions.

 

Protecting fairness in women’s sports is paramount. The federal determination highlights how permitting males to compete on female teams displaces female athletes from podiums, denies them advancement opportunities, and diminishes their visibility and recognition in competitions. Female students in our districts and across Minnesota deserve equal chances to excel in sports, free from unfair physical advantages that biological differences confer. By entering into the resolution agreement, MDE and MSHSL can ensure equal treatment and foster an environment where female athletes can thrive.

 

Protecting the privacy and dignity interests of students is equally important. As the federal findings observe, allowing males into female-only locker rooms and restrooms leads to documented harms to female students’ safety, privacy, and access to educational activities. Title IX's regulations explicitly permit sex-separated facilities and require that they be comparable and protective. Resolving these issues through the offered agreement will protect all students’ rights, eliminate risks to their well-being, and ensure that sensitive spaces remain safe and dignified for their intended users.

 

In addition, entering into the resolution agreement will eliminate the confusion and uncertainty currently facing school districts like ours. Local administrators, teachers, coaches, and staff need clear, consistent guidance to implement policies that comply with federal law while serving our communities. By entering into the resolution agreement promptly, MDE and MSHSL can provide the clarity that our districts and schools need to focus on educating and supporting students effectively.

 

Finally, swift compliance is essential to protect the federal funding that supports Minnesota’s schools. Continued noncompliance risks the withholding of federal financial assistance, which would adversely affect educational programs, extracurricular activities, and resources for over 875,000 students statewide. Every public school district in Minnesota is facing significant budget challenges. We cannot afford to jeopardize millions in federal funding and suffer ongoing budget uncertainty for continuing to violate Title IX. Every Minnesota student would be unfairly impacted.

 

Please take prompt action to protect our students and our public school funding.

 

Sincerely,

 

Lisa Atkinson

School Board Member, Prior Lake Savage

 

Mariah Hines
School Board Member, Pequot Lakes
 

Ben Appel
School Board Member, Jackson County Central

 

Joe Scott

School Board Member, Easter Carver County

 

Sarah Gabardi

School Board Member, Hibbing

 

Dan Call

School Board Member, New Prague

 

David Dondelinger

School Board Member, Brainerd

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Michael Peterson

School Board Member, Caledonia

 

Ashley Schabilion

School Board Member, Big Lake

 

Carrie Tate

School Board Member, Hastings

 

Randy Heidmann

School Board Member, Brainerd

 

Jessica Mason

School Board Member, Prior Lake Savage

 

Lynda Boudreau

School Board Member, Faribault

 

Elizabeth Hedlund

School Board Member, Owatonna

 

Monica Madsen

School Board Member, Elk River-Otsego-Rogers-Zimmerman

 

Julie Hart

School Board Member, Plainview-Elgin-Millville

 

Travis Liffrig

School Board Member, Zumbrota Mazeppa

 

Charles Johnson

School Board Member, Prior Lake Savage

 

Melanie Hagen

School Board Member, Waconia

 

Jessica Dressley

School Board Member, Hastings

 

Linda Moore

School Board Member, Faribault

 

Christopher Kind

School Board Member, Mankato

 

Gus Booth

School Board Member, Warroad

 

Levi Lucht

School Board Member, Jackson County Central

 

Elizabeth Hanke

School Board Member, Mankato

 

John Anderson

School Board Member, Elk River-Otsego-Rogers-Zimmerman

 

Maria Traut

School Board Member, Royalton

 

Wes Young

School Board Member, Pierz

 

Jack Aakhus

School Board Member, Bemidji

 

Curt Rebelein

School Board Member, Forest Lake

 

Anna Manecke

School Board Member, Bemidji

 

Ron Springer

School Board Member, Plainview-Elgin-Millville

 

Carrie Cuff

School Board Member, New Prague

 

Ryan Clarke

School Board Member, South Washington County

 

Lucas Boyd

School Board Member, Royalton

 

Stephanie Etterman

School Board Member, Brainerd

 

Ryan Rosin

School Board Member, Waconia

 

Mike Klasen

School Board Member, Uppsala

 

Rhonda Moore

School Board Member, Jackson County Central

 

Michelle Okeson

School Board Member, Detroit Lakes

 

Dave Wall

School Board Member, Bemidji

 

Mike Massmann

School Board Member, Hutchinson

 

Melissa Gorman

School Board Member, Farmington

 

Eric Tessmer

School Board Member, South Washington County

 

Becky DeWilde

School Board Member, Farmington

 

Ron Kubicek

School Board Member, Owatonna

 

Dan Schilling

School Board Member, Little Falls

 

Amanda Wilson

School Board Member, Waconia

 

Sandy Nelson

School Board Member, Detroit Lakes

 

David Sovinski

School Board Member, Chatfield

 

Chelsey Hancock

School Board Member, Big Lake

 

Brian Thompson

School Board Member, Lakeville

 

Annette West

School Board Member, St. Francis

 

Matt Swanson

School Board Member, Lakeville

 

Julie LeMieur

School Board Member, Little Falls

 

Melissa Millner

School Board Member, Hastings

 

Tessa Antonsen

School Board Member, Forest Lake

 

Ashley Toops

School Board Member, Pierz

 

Dennis Havlicek

School Board Member, New Prague

 

Tina Polz

School Board Member, Jackson County Central

 

David Stumpf

School Board Member, Pierz

 

Marques Stricker

School Board Member, Warroad

 

Dan White

School Board Member, Prior Lake Savage

 

Linda Hoekman

School Board Member, Anoka-Hennepin

 

Ellie Holm

School Board Member, Royalton

 

Mindy Freiberg

School Board Member, Elk River-Otsego-Rogers-Zimmerman

 

Molly Monyok

School Board Member, Jordan

 

Corinne Hennen

School Board Member, Jordan

 

Matt Audette

School Board Member, Anoka Hennepin

 

Jacob Robinson

School Board Member, Dover-Eyota

 

Paul Carbone

School Board Member, Lakeville

 

Diane Jancowski

School Board Member, Hutchinson

 

Kyle Christensen

School Board Member, Farmington

 

Julie Houle

School Board Member, Columbia Heights

 

Pamela Johnson

School Board Member, Pequot Lakes

 

Zach Arco

School Board Member, Anoka Hennepin

 

Erica Foster

School Board Member, Osseo

 

Emily Larson

School Board Member, Sartell St. Stephens

 

Valentina Eyres

School Board Member, Wayzata

 

Jenny Peterson

School Board Member, Mahtomedi

 

Danny Olmstead

School Board Member, Hutchinson

 

Angie Bredehoff

School Board Member, Zumbrota Mazeppa

 

Matthew Hoheisel

School Board Member, Pierz

 

Stacy Fox

School Board Member, Plainview-Elgin-Millville

 

Paul Donna

School Board Member, Mahtomedi

 

Garrett Luthens

School Board Member, Hutchinson

 

Derek Nelson

School Board Member, Big Lake

 

Lauren Pedersen

School Board Member, Jordan

 

Jake Atkinson

School Board Member, Lake City

 

Jen Smith

School Board Member, Sartell St. Stephens

 

Wayne Peters

School Board Member, Lake City

 

Angie Greig

School Board Member, Buffalo Hanover Montrose

 

Matt Bertrang

School Board Member, Jordan

 

Ryan Domin

School Board Member, Mahtomedi

 

Jake Rude

School Board Member, Zumbrota Mazeppa

 

Kayla Jensen

School Board Member, Pierz

 

Kellen Schmidt

School Board Member, Belle Plaine

 

Jennifer Bonner

School Board Member, Rock Ridge

 

Daphne Likness

School Board Member, Pipestone

 

Dan Johnson

School Board Member, Sauk Rapids-Rice

 

Drew Whitson

School Board Member, Mahtomedi

 

Luke Hagglund

School Board Member, Forest Lake

 

David Blom

School Board Member, Atwater Cosmos Grove City

 

Jake Humphrey

School Board Member, St. Francis

 

Laura Knudsen

School Board Member, Alexandria

 

Luke Winchell

School Board Member, Cannon Falls

 

Jeff Onell

School Board Member, Watertown-Mayer

 

Allen Dahlgren

School Board Member, St. Cloud

 

Stacey Stout

School Board Member, Mahtomedi

 

Chris Vlasak

School Board Member, Tri-City United

 

Trevor Houn

School Board Member, Tri-City United

 

Kirby Anderson

School Board Member, Fergus Falls

 

Kelli Graff

School Board Member, Fergus Falls

 

Rachel Schoenfelder

School Board Member, Red Wing

 

Kate Niska

School Board Member, Dassel-Cokato

 

Lisa Liodolt

School Board Member, Sauk Rapids-Rice

 

Steve Gag

School Board Member, New Ulm

 

Tracy O’Brien

School Board Member, Belle Plaine

 

Jenna Kantola

School Board Member, Dassel-Cokato

 

DeEtta Moos
School Board Member, Cambridge Isanti

Cherie Peterson
School Board Member, Menahga

Curt Johnson
School Board Member, Pequot Lakes

Adam Dicke
School Board Member, Goodhue

Mark Branson
School Board Member, Monticello

Josh Beulke
School Board Member, Tri-City United

Dave Treinen
School Board Member, Menahga

Jamie Sieben
School Board Member, Monticello

Rondi Sjoblom
School Board Member, Cannon Falls

Lisa Neaton
School Board Member, Watertown-Mayer

Susan Ripp
School Board Member, Tri-City United

Ann Hess
School Board Member, Sauk Centre

Joe Borgerding
School Board Member, Sauk Centre

Josh Smith
School Board Member, Ogilvie

Jessica Grayson
School Board Member, Medford

Connie Robinson
School Board Member, Becker

John Drevlow
School Board Member, Sauk Centre

Patrick Jennissen
School Board Member, Sauk Centre

Aaron Harris
School Board Member, Medford

Tyler Anderson
School Board Member, Hayfield

Melissa Curtis
School Board Member, Monticello

Andrea Haverinen
School Board Member, Menahga

Josh Thieschaefer
School Board Member, Melrose

Nathan Rasch
School Board Member, Fertile-Beltrami

Jean Ashbaugh
School Board Member, Bertha-Hewitt

Julia Kicker
School Board Member, Menahga

 

Lisa Hajek
School Board Member, Glenville-Emmons

 

Bill Schmidt

School Board Member, Wheaton

 

Kassie Thielen

School Board Member, Wheaton

 

Josh Rieland

School Board Member, Sauk Centre

 

Lenette Brown

School Board Member, Big Lake

 

Ross Nelson

School Board Member, Pequot Lakes

 

Christine Buer

School Board Member, Atwater Cosmos Grove City

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Amanda Schmidt

School Board Member, Wadena Deer Creek

​

Katie Howard

School Board Member, Menahga

​

Vickie Hasbargen

School Board Member, Northome

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Tahna Rurup

School Board Member, Verndale

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Elizabeth Lind

School Board Member, Maple Lake

​

Philip Biermaier

School Board Member, Hastings

​

Danielle Berg

School Board Member, Greenbush Middle River

​

Pete Swenson

School Board Member, Cannon Falls

​

Justin Holtan

School Board Member, Hayfield

​

Brenda Solar

School Board Member, Warroad

​

Scott Pearson

School Board Member, Sauk Centre

​

Derek Geiser

School Board Member, New York Mills

​

Dan Wilder

School Board Member, Ogilvie

​

Becky Roby

School Board Member, Cambridge Isanti

​

Derek Braukmann

School Board Member, New York Mills

​

Christina Olson

School Board Member, Jordan

​

Emilee Stehr

School Board Member, GFW

​

Brett Nicholson

School Board Member, Lakeville

​

Paul Stromstad

School Board Member, Fertile-Beltrami

​

Amy Acree

School Board Member, GFW

​

Sara Makela

School Board Member, Menahga

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Melissa Seelhammer

School Board Member, Wadena Deer Creek​​​​​

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Thor Didrikson

School Board Member, Roseau