PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 5, 2025
Contact: Heidi Sampson
Executive Director, Maine Education Initiative
Email: Heidi@FixMaineSchools.com
Cell: 207.590.1909
Maine Education Initiative & Maine Girl Dads Urge MPA to
Amend Policy for Female Athletes’ Safety and Fairness
AUGUSTA, Maine – The Maine Education Initiative, a project of Maine Policy Institute, in collaboration with the Maine Girl Dads coalition, has released a formal letter urging the Maine Principals’ Association (MPA) to amend its Gender Identity Participation Policy to ensure fairness and safety in girls’ sports. The letter, authored by Heidi H. Sampson, Director of the Maine Education Initiative, and Samuel J. Whiting, Esq., calls for immediate policy changes to protect female athletes and align with Title IX requirements.
The letter highlights legal concerns surrounding the MPA’s current policy, which allows male students identifying as female to compete in girls’ sports without a vetting process. It argues that this practice compromises competitive fairness and raises safety risks for female athletes. Additionally, the letter asserts that recent federal actions, including President Trump’s Executive Order 14201, “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports,” reinforce Title IX protections for female athletes and require compliance from state and local education entities.
“The MPA’s policy, as it stands, is not only unfair but also places female athletes at risk,” said Heidi Sampson. “Title IX was designed to ensure equal athletic opportunities for women, and by allowing male athletes to compete in girls’ sports, the MPA is violating the very principles that protect female athletes.”
The Maine Education Initiative argues that compliance with federal law is necessary to protect female athletes’ rights and prevent potential liabilities for schools.
“We urge the MPA to act swiftly to amend its policy,” said Samuel J. Whiting, Esq. “Failure to do so not only contradicts legal precedent, but also risks serious consequences for Maine’s schools and student-athletes.”
The call for change is also strongly supported by Maine Girl Dads, a coalition of fathers advocating for their daughters’ rights in sports. Josh Tabor, a leader of the coalition, stressed the importance of protecting opportunities for young female athletes:
“Our daughters train hard, compete fairly, and deserve a level playing field. The MPA’s policy is stripping them of their right to fair competition and putting their safety at risk. Over 8,500 fathers in Maine have signed our petition to say enough is enough. We will not stand by while our girls are pushed aside. It’s time for the MPA to step up and protect female athletes,” Tabor said.
The petition can be found at www.MaineGirlDads.com.
The Maine Education Initiative and Maine Girl Dads warn that failure to amend the policy could result in legal consequences for both the MPA and its member schools, as the U.S. Department of Education has launched investigations into Title IX violations within Maine’s education system.
The Maine Education Initiative calls on the MPA to reconsider its stance and align its policies with federal Title IX regulations to uphold fairness and safety in girls’ sports.
The Maine Education Initiative is a project of Maine Policy Institute. The Maine Education Initiative’s mission is to empower parental involvement in K-12 education and encourage Maine school boards to adopt model policies that increase transparency, fiscal responsibility, and accountability in Maine public schools.
The full letter to the Maine Principals’ Association can be read here.
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The Maine Education Initiative, a project of Maine Policy Institute, works to empower parental involvement in K-12 education and encourage Maine school boards to adopt model policies that increase transparency, fiscal responsibility, and accountability in Maine public schools.