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The School District of Philadelphia says it will allow transgender students to compete in sports that match their identity. This decision comes in response to recent rule changes made by the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) Board of Directors to restrict transgender participation in school sports in order to comply with one of Donald Trump’s executive orders.
The executive order in question threatens to revoke federal funding from educational institutions that permit transgender athletes to compete on sports teams matching their gender.
On February 19th, the PIAA held a meeting to discuss the policy changes. One topic addressed at this meeting was Executive Order 14201, entitled “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports.” The board approved the motion to remove their transgender policy and amend section 4—article XVI in the bylaws handbook. The section covers mixed-gender participation in both in-season and out-of-season rules and regulations.
The section used to say, “Where a student’s gender is questioned or uncertain, the decision of the Principal as to the student’s gender will be accepted by PIAA.”
The rewording now substitutes “gender” with “sex” and replaces “Principal” with “school.”
The amendment added reads as follows: “In accordance with the Presidential Executive Order 14201 entitled ‘Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports’, dated February 5, 2025, schools are required to consult with their school solicitors relative to compliance with the Order.”
The policy shift would apply to all school districts in the state of Pennsylvania despite contradicting state laws banning gender discrimination, as well as Title IX, which bans sex-based discrimination in education, which some lawyers argue bans anti-LGBTQ+ discrimination in schools.
The School District of Philadelphia plans to continue allowing students to compete participate in sports teams aligning their gender in accordance to state laws.
Christina Clark, communications officer for the School District of Philadelphia, said in a statement, “The district will continue to align its practices to support its LGBTQ+ students in accordance with Board Policy 252 for transgender and gender non-conforming students.”
Board Policy 252 forbids school staff from disclosing a student’s chosen gender identity to not only other staff and students but to parents as well and says that transgender and gender-nonconforming students shall be permitted to participate in sports and physical education classes in a manner consistent with their gender identity.
Staying resolute in their policy could pose issues, especially when competing against PIAA-compliant schools. Kristina Moon, an attorney with the Education Law Center, suggests “they could comply or they could challenge it in court, or with a complaint.”
Trump’s order threatens to cut school funding for noncompliance. Philadelphia uses federal grant funding to support special education services and early childhood development programs, which make up nearly $619.3 million of its $4.5 billion operating budget.
It’s not just Philadelphia that’s refusing to comply with Trump’s order.
Recently, New Jersey’s athletics association for school districts, the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA), affirmed that it would not be changing its policies on trans athletes, saying that the organization’s policies are designed to be consistent with state law.
The California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) also refused to change policies for the same reasons. When asked to comment on their decision, a spokesperson for the CIF sent an email stating: “The CIF provides students with the opportunity to belong, connect, and compete in education-based experiences in compliance with California law which permits students to participate in school programs and activities, including athletic teams and competitions, consistent with the student’s gender identity, irrespective of the gender listed on the student’s records,”
One of the boldest acts of defiance concerning this order came from Maine Gov. Janet Mills (D). After the president called her out for not complying with his order during a governors’ meeting he hosted at the White House, Mills confronted him directly. She informed him that his order doesn’t take precedence over state and federal laws, and Maine would not comply. Mills ended by saying, “See you in court” after Trump threatened to end all federal funding to Maine.
Stay strong.
Resist this dumbfuck administration.
We haven’t spent our lives contributing to the welfare of this country to watch it collapse under a felon rapist.
Presidential Executive Order 14201 entitled ‘Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports’,
Good thing every single person in the US is considered female now. So it seems they succeeded, lol.
States rights.
FWIW states rights have never once been a left or right, conservative or progressive issue. People like states rights when they control the state, and they like federal power when they control the federal government. That’s consistent across all times, issues, and political parties.
I’m simply using it as a point of hypocrisy. They said “states rights” when the abortion issue came up, and now they’re whining when states decide to use those rights.
Thing is, the states can still do whatever they want. They’ll just lose federal funding for certain programs. So it’s not really a states rights issue at all. It’s a federal rights issue. The federal government has the right to withhold funding for whatever reason they want, and that’s all they’re doing.
(I don’t agree with it. I felt I should probably say that. I am a trans ally.)
Right, but they’re conservatives. Complaining about their hypocrisy is like complaining about clouds blocking the sun. Redefining your values based on your identity is the unifying feature of conservativism. That’s what makes it appealing, you don’t have to adhere to any fundamental values or policies. Whatever helps you win today is good, because you’re a good person because you’re a conservative. So whatever you say now is good, and if you have to say something else tomorrow, it will be good then, too.
States’ Rights is especially fraught because progressives also vacillate on the issue depending on how much of the government they can influence. I’m not a bOtH SiDeS person, but on that one issue, both sides ride that pendulum.
And there goes their federal funding…. For everything.
Well maybe states will have to secede from the USA. If federal funding is cut then there is no reason to be part of the federal government. Texas has been threatening to leave for so long and that allows them to throw a tantrum and get their way. Maybe other states need to follow their lead and make the threat.
Remember, that’s also feeding directly into the point of the Russian propaganda to destroy the US, historically the leading force in Western Democracy, from within. Granted we’re like 4-weeks past a total shift in US politics…
Or just eliminate the athletic programs altogether.
No
For a lot of blue states that’s actually a benefit to them. They put in more money than they get out of it.
They put it in through federal income tax. The states don’t collect the taxes and then send them to the federal government.
Don’t put it past Trump to declare war, this time with the federal gov’t on the side of the (new) confederacy.
You say that as if the Trump regime isn’t going to take it away anyway. DOGE is dismantling the Department of Education as we speak, so exactly what federal funding do you expect schools to get?
(And yes, I’m aware you wrote “for everything,” but that’s not the School District of Philadelpha’s problem.)
There’s a part of me that thinks blue states need to just rip off that band-aid and find new ways of paying for things.
I know it would be tough as hell to do, of course, but I’d love for my state to tell the feds to kick rocks.
Californian here.
We got all the money we need. I’ve love to watch us stop sending so much of it to the feds to support failing red states and funding Donnie Dipshit’s daily golf outings.
A good way is to impose a massive state tax on the rich. They can run to other states but if they want to operate their businesses in the state they will have to pay.
Wait, I thought they were doing away with the department of education… which would eliminate all of their federal funding.
Good. Call their fucking bluff.
