#Resist! Four Maine college presidents sign national letter decrying Trump education 'overreach'

Riley Board, Portland Press Herald, Maine
Tue, April 22, 2025

"Four Maine higher education leaders have signed on to a letter accusing the Trump administration of 'unprecedented government overreach and political interference.'

"Safa Zaki of #BowdoinCollege, Garry Jenkins of #BatesCollege, David Greene of #ColbyCollege and James Herbert of the #UniversityOfNewEngland all added their names to the letter, published Tuesday by the American Association of Colleges and Universities. More than 230 presidents of colleges, universities and scholarly societies throughout the country have signed so far.

" 'We are open to constructive reform and do not oppose legitimate government oversight,' the letter reads. 'However, we must oppose undue government intrusion in the lives of those who learn, live and work on our campuses. We will always seek effective and fair financial practices, but we must reject the coercive use of public research funding.'

"Though the letter primarily represents private institutions, leaders from a handful of state colleges and universities signed on, including University of Massachusetts Amherst Chancellor Javier Reyes and Eastern Connecticut State University President Karim Ismaili. A spokesperson for the University of Maine system declined to comment.

"In recent months, the Trump administration has pulled or threatened to pull federal funding from higher education institutions that don't comply with his agenda on #StudentProtesters, admissions practices and #TransgenderAthlete policies.

"The administration has also revoked the visas of hundreds of international students. On Friday, the American Civil Liberties Union [#ACLU] of Maine filed a class-action lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security [#DHS] and other agencies behind the visa revocations, asking that a judge restore the visas of any New England students who have had them wrongfully removed, and protecting future students from the same actions."

Read more:
https://www.yahoo.com/news/four-maine-college-presidents-sign-224700038.html

#MaineResists #TrumpIsABully #HigherEducation #USPol #ResistAuthoritarianism #ResistFascism #CharacteristicsOfFascism

#Maine rebuffs #HHS order on #TransgenderAthletes

By CHELSEA CIRRUZZO and KELLY HOOPER
03/20/2025

"The governing body that oversees Maine’s school sports is rebuffing efforts by HHS’ Office for #CivilRights to penalize it for policies allowing transgender girls to play on women’s teams.

"The Maine Principals’ Association argues that HHS has no jurisdiction over the group and the issue should instead be resolved through the state legislature and Congress.

"'MPA receives no direct or indirect federal funding, so it is not beholden to Title IX enforcement by HHS and therefore cannot be included in any future investigations or litigation,' MPA said in a Wednesday statement. The group’s counsel made the same argument in a letter to HHS on Tuesday.

"How we got here: HHS said Monday it would give Maine 10 days to sign an agreement to bar transgender students from women’s sports or risk enforcement action from the Justice Department, POLITICO’s Bianca Quilantan reports.

"According to a statement by HHS, federal officials say the Maine Department of Education, the Maine Principals’ Association and Greely High School, which had a transgender student compete on a women’s team, violated #TitleIX, the anti-sex discrimination law, with their policies that allow transgender students to compete on girls’ sports teams.

"HHS had launched a brief investigation into Maine’s policies on transgender students in sports on Feb. 21 after President Donald Trump threatened Maine’s federal funding and singled out Gov. Janet Mills, a Democrat, and her state’s policies. Mills refused to say whether she would comply with his executive order barring transgender girls from girls’ sports and had vowed to meet the Trump administration in court.

"The Maine attorney general’s office said it was reviewing the proposed agreement. Greely High School did not immediately respond to requests for comment. HHS also did not respond to a request for comment."

https://www.politico.com/newsletters/politico-pulse/2025/03/20/maine-rebuffs-hhs-order-on-transgender-athletes-00239848
#Fascism #CharacteristicsOfFascism #TransRightsAreHumanRights #TransgenderAthlete #Authoritarianism #USPol #MainePol

So, even if schools and universities comply with #Trump's demands THIS TIME, who is to say they won't have other demands. Look what happened to #ColumbiaUniversity!

The Latest: Trump administration targets #Maine and #UniversityOfPennsylvania over trans athletes

The Education Department has concluded that Maine’s education office violated Title IX antidiscrimination law by allowing transgender girls to play on girls’ sports teams and use girls’ sports facilities

March 19, 2025

"The Education Department concluded Wednesday that Maine's education office violated #TitleIX antidiscrimination law by allowing #transgender girls to play on girls' sports teams and use girls' sports facilities. The state has 10 days to comply with a list of demands or the case will be referred to the Justice Department for prosecution.

"President Donald Trump's administration also suspended $175 million in funding for the University of Pennsylvania over the participation of a #TransgenderAthlete in its swimming program. The Education Department began a separate investigation into the school over the program last month."

https://www.ajc.com/news/nation-world/the-latest-trump-administration-targets-maine-and-university-of-pennsylvania-over-trans-athletes/TRRDTCYT5VDQJNJBLGNSD7GGWA/
#Authoritarianism #Fascism #USPol #CharacteristicsOfFascism

#Christianschool that objected to #transgenderathlete sues #Vermont after it's #banned from competing

https://ground.news/article/christian-school-that-objected-to-transgender-athlete-sues-vermont-after-its-banned-from-competing_9a9031