Maine Reaches Settlement With Usda Over Frozen School Funding

Maine Attorney General Aaron Frey announced Friday that nan authorities has reached a colony pinch nan U.S. Department of Agriculture regarding nan freezing aliases termination of national costs complete alleged Title IX violations. The colony comes aft nan national authorities froze costs tied to Maine’s schoolhouse nutrient programs owed to nan state’s transgender policies successful nationalist schools.

Settlement reached and suit dropped

Under nan colony signed Friday, nan Trump management agreed to refrain from freezing aliases terminating Maine’s $3 cardinal successful USDA national funds. In return, nan authorities dropped its suit against nan national government.

“The authorities of Maine went to tribunal and fought this unlawful effort to frost captious backing for our schoolhouse luncheon programme — and we won. I applaud nan activity of Attorney General Frey and his unit successful representing nan authorities successful this action against USDA, and preserving patient schoolhouse meals for 172,000 Maine schoolhouse children,” Gov. Mills said successful a statement.

Federal frost prompted by Title IX concerns

Earlier this month, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins sent a letter to Gov. Janet Mills. The missive notified her that national costs for Maine were being stiff and placed nether review. The USDA cited concerns that nan state’s transgender policies successful nationalist schools whitethorn break Title IX.

The frost affected nan salaries of authorities labor moving successful schoolhouse nutrient programs.

“In bid to proceed to person payer dollars from USDA, nan authorities of Maine must show compliance pinch Title IX which protects female student athletes from having to compete pinch aliases against aliases having to look unclothed earlier males,” Rollins wrote successful nan letter.

Maine challenges frost successful national court

In response, nan authorities asked nan U.S. District Court for nan authorities of Maine to assistance a impermanent restraining order, arguing that nan USDA’s action was unlawful.

“Secretary Rollins’ action is blatantly unlawful: she cannot simply decree nan freezing of national costs to which nan authorities of Maine is entitled,” nan authorities argued. “Rather, she must travel nan requisite procedures, which, among different things, would springiness nan authorities of Maine nan opportunity to refute nan secretary’s erroneous declare that Title IX prohibits schools from allowing transgender girls and women from participating connected girls’ and women’s teams. In fact, respective national courts person held that Title IX requires schools to licence specified participation.”

On April 11, a national judge ordered nan Trump management to unfreeze nan funds.

The authorities said nan backing is capable to provender astir 170,000 schoolhouse children crossed nan state.