Massachusetts sports programs under Title IX investigation due to transgender athletes

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — The MIAA is one of three athletic programs now under investigation by the U.S. Department of Education office for civil rights.

Title IX is a federal law that was implemented in 1972 that prevents discrimination based on gender in any education program or activity receiving federal assistance.

In this Massachusetts case, the department of education wants answers regarding an incident last year.

The DOE says the Collegiate Charter School of Lowell’s girls basketball team forfeited at halftime after a transgender player on the opposing team injured three female players.

Another incident happened in a field hockey game last year when Dighton-Rehoboth forfeited a game to avoid playing a male player on Somerset-Berkley’s team that later won the state championship.

Under the Massachusetts Equal Rights Amendment, boys are allowed to play on girls’ teams when there is not an equivalent team for male athletes.

It’s still unclear if Trump’s executive order would prevent co-ed teams or solely transgender athletes.

Last week, the DOE said that federally funded educational institutions will go back to enforcing Title IX protections on the basis of biological sex after Trump’s executive order keeping men out of women’s sports.

“With this executive order, the war on women’s sports is over,” said Trump.

“We’re putting every school receiving taxpayer dollars on notice that if you let men take over women’s sports teams or invade your locker rooms you will be investigated for violations of Title IX and risk your federal funding. There will be no federal funding.”

This executive order is instructing the DOE to take enforcement actions if the order is violated.

A spokesperson for the Interscholastic Association in Massachusetts says it’s getting legal guidance from the state’s attorney general on the matter.