Maine school officials explain why state was in 'noncompliance with Title IX' after referral to DOJ

Maine state Rep. Laurel Libby discusses Maine’s refusal to follow the Trump administration's executive order on transgender athletes in girls' sports.

Maine school officials explained on Monday why they were in "noncompliance with Title IX" as the Trump administration referred the state to the Justice Department after it failed to bar transgender athletes from girls’ and women’s sports.

The state defied President Donald Trump’s executive order banning biological males from competing in women’s and girls’ sports. The Health and Human Services Department gave the state 10 days to correct its policies through a signed agreement or risk referral to the DOJ.

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The State House is seen in Augusta, Maine, on June 9, 2011. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty, File)

The deadline came and went and the Health and Human Services Department’s Office of Civil Rights followed through on its promise Friday, vowing to protect female athletes.

"Today, OCR referred Maine’s noncompliance with Title IX to @TheJusticeDept for enforcement in court for continuing to unlawfully allow males to compete against females," the department announced in a post on X. 

"HHS will continue to protect women’s sports and keep the promises of Title IX for America’s women and girls."

The Maine School Administrative District 51, home to Greely High School, where a transgender athlete incited national controversy after winning a girls' pole vault competition in February, said Thursday it was not complying and will instead "continue to follow state law and the Maine Human Rights Act."

Fox News obtained statements that the Maine Principals’ Association and the Maine School Administrative District 51 both released to the