Trump Administration Reaches Settlement with Maine: Funding Dispute Over Trans Athletes Resolved

Trump Administration Retreats on Maine’s Child Nutrition Funding

On Friday, the Trump administration decided to lift its freeze on funds meant for Maine’s child nutrition program. This decision came after a dispute over transgender athletes led to the halt on these critical funds.

Maine’s Attorney General, Aaron Frey, announced that the state would drop its lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) following the agreement. “It’s unfortunate that we needed to go to court for USDA to comply with the law,” Frey stated. “We’re glad the lawsuit is resolved and that Maine will continue receiving funds to support children and vulnerable adults.”

The dispute began when the federal government questioned Maine’s compliance with Title IX, a federal law that prohibits sex-based discrimination in education. This controversy was exacerbated by Trump’s executive order about transgender athletes. As a result, Maine’s Department of Education lost access to important federal funds for its nutrition program.

Maine’s lawsuit emphasized the urgent need for these funds, highlighting that the state was due to receive over $1.8 million for the current fiscal year. In addition, they were awaiting about $3 million typically provided every July for summer meal programs.

A federal judge had previously instructed the Trump administration to unfreeze these funds, indicating that Maine was likely to win its legal case. Democratic Governor Janet Mills expressed her satisfaction with the outcome, praising Frey’s efforts in preserving healthy meals for the state’s school children.

The resolution reflects broader issues surrounding federal funding for child nutrition programs across the country. According to a recent USDA report, nearly 22 million children rely on school meals during the summer, making such funding critical for their health and well-being.

This case not only shows the importance of state-federal relations in education but also highlights ongoing tensions around issues of inclusion and equity in schools.

The full USDA report can be accessed here.

Source link

Maine, Donald Trump, Brooke Rollins, Janet Mills, Aaron Frey, Gender in sports, Gender, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Education funding, United States government, Lawsuits, General news, ME State Wire, United States, Nutrition, Politics, Sports, Education, Legal proceedings, U.S. news