BREAKING NOW AT SIX – TWO MAINE SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE UNDER INVESTIGATION BY THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION FOR ALLEGED CIVIL RIGHTS VIOLATIONS. THE DEPARTMENT ALLEGES R-S-U 19 AND 57 ARE VIOLATING TITLE NINE BY ALLOWING TRANSGENDER STUDENTS TO PLAY GIRLS SPORTS. THE TWO SCHOO
2 Maine school districts accused of violating Title IX, Department of Education says
The U.S. Department of Education announced Wednesday that its Office for Civil Rights (OCR) launched investigations into 18 educational entities in 10 states, including two Maine school districts, based on complaints submitted to the office alleging those state entities violated Title IX.The OCR said the complaints assert that Regional School Unit 19 (RSU 19), Regional School Unit 57 (RSU 57) and the other 16 educational entities maintain policies or practices that discriminate on the basis of sex by permitting students to participate in sports based on their gender identity, not the gender they were assigned at birth.In a statement, Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Kimberly Richey said the OCR is aggressively pursuing the discrimination allegations that were made against the entities, which reportedly allow students who were assigned male at birth to compete in girls and women’s sports.”Time and again, the Trump administration has made its position clear: violations of women’s rights, dignity, and fairness are unacceptable,” Richey said. “We will leave no stone unturned in these investigations to uphold women’s right to equal access in education programs — a fight that started over half a century ago and is far from finished.”RSU 19 is the school district for Nokomis Regional High School and includes the communities of Corinna, Dixmont, Etna, Hartland, Newport, Palmyra, Plymouth and St. Albans.RSU 57 is the school district for Massabesic High School and includes the communities of Alfred, Limerick, Lyman, Newfield, Shapleigh and Waterboro. “RSU 57 complies with all state and federal laws related to discrimination and harassment, and provides a safe and inclusive learning environment for all of its students,” Superintendent of Schools Stephen Marquis said in an email to Maine’s Total Coverage reporter Bonnie Bishop. “RSU 57 will provide OCR with the information that it has requested and looks forward to resolving this matter.”Bishop also sent a request for comment from the RSU 19 superintendent and has not received a reply.The other 16 educational agencies that are under OCR investigation are the Jurupa School District, Placentia-Yorba School District, Santa Monica College and Santa Rosa Junior College in California; Waterbury Public Schools in Connecticut; Hawaii State Department of Education; Foxborough Public Schools in Massachusetts; University of Nevada — Reno; Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District in New York and New York City Department of Education; Great Valley School District in Pennsylvania; Champlain Valley School District in Vermont; and Cheney Public Schools, Sultan School District No. 31, Tacoma Public Schools and Vancouver Public Schools in Washington.In April 2025, the U.S. Department of Justice sued the Maine Department of Education over allegations that the state failed to comply with Title IX by allowing students who were assigned male at birth to compete in girls sports.
The U.S. Department of Education announced Wednesday that its Office for Civil Rights (OCR) launched investigations into 18 educational entities in 10 states, including two Maine school districts, based on complaints submitted to the office alleging those state entities violated Title IX.
The OCR said the complaints assert that Regional School Unit 19 (RSU 19), Regional School Unit 57 (RSU 57) and the other 16 educational entities maintain policies or practices that discriminate on the basis of sex by permitting students to participate in sports based on their gender identity, not the gender they were assigned at birth.
In a statement, Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Kimberly Richey said the OCR is aggressively pursuing the discrimination allegations that were made against the entities, which reportedly allow students who were assigned male at birth to compete in girls and women’s sports.
“Time and again, the Trump administration has made its position clear: violations of women’s rights, dignity, and fairness are unacceptable,” Richey said. “We will leave no stone unturned in these investigations to uphold women’s right to equal access in education programs — a fight that started over half a century ago and is far from finished.”
RSU 19 is the school district for Nokomis Regional High School and includes the communities of Corinna, Dixmont, Etna, Hartland, Newport, Palmyra, Plymouth and St. Albans.
RSU 57 is the school district for Massabesic High School and includes the communities of Alfred, Limerick, Lyman, Newfield, Shapleigh and Waterboro.
“RSU 57 complies with all state and federal laws related to discrimination and harassment, and provides a safe and inclusive learning environment for all of its students,” Superintendent of Schools Stephen Marquis said in an email to Maine’s Total Coverage reporter Bonnie Bishop. “RSU 57 will provide OCR with the information that it has requested and looks forward to resolving this matter.”
Bishop also sent a request for comment from the RSU 19 superintendent and has not received a reply.
The other 16 educational agencies that are under OCR investigation are the Jurupa School District, Placentia-Yorba School District, Santa Monica College and Santa Rosa Junior College in California; Waterbury Public Schools in Connecticut; Hawaii State Department of Education; Foxborough Public Schools in Massachusetts; University of Nevada — Reno; Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District in New York and New York City Department of Education; Great Valley School District in Pennsylvania; Champlain Valley School District in Vermont; and Cheney Public Schools, Sultan School District No. 31, Tacoma Public Schools and Vancouver Public Schools in Washington.
In April 2025, the U.S. Department of Justice sued the Maine Department of Education over allegations that the state failed to comply with Title IX by allowing students who were assigned male at birth to compete in girls sports.