What a huge victory for YES Maine! The Trump administration has announced it will remove a freeze of school funding that was placed against the state for its defense of transgender rights. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced it will end the withholding of funds for a critical child nutrition program in the state of Maine. This decision should be regarded as an important victory for the state’s educational institutions.
The conflict erupted again this past spring. President Trump put the squeeze on Maine funds personally during a meeting at the White House with governors. In particular, in response to the president’s ultimatum, Governor Janet Mills shot back with a very resolute, “We’ll see you in court.” This exchange received a lot of media attention and highlighted the growing pressure cooker dynamic between the state and federal governments with regard to social policy.
After the president’s bullying, Maine took the first step of suing the USDA to protect its money. The lawsuit was intended to provide access to over $900,000 in regressive earned income tax credits. These dollars are already committed but were tied up in limbo because of the freeze. Maine has now chosen to dismiss its lawsuit. In exchange, they will get back some access to these important investments as part of this make-do agreement.
“These bullying tactics, we will not tolerate them,” Governor Mills stated, expressing relief over the recent development. She stressed that the win is a sign of Maine’s strength and determination to do right by its schools and students.
Aaron Frey, Maine’s attorney general, echoed Mills’ sentiments, stating, “It’s unfortunate that my office had to resort to federal court just to get USDA to comply with the law and its own regulations.” He continued by stating that Maine’s lawyers contested that the child nutrition program would receive more than $1.8 million. Moreover, this funding is specifically allocated for the current fiscal year.
While crucial, this victory doesn’t call a stop to another ongoing lawsuit. The legal action the Trump administration continues to pursue against the Maine Department of Education is not over. Impact on state policy The administration argues that Maine’s policy of allowing transgender youth to play on teams consistent with their gender identity breaches Title IX rules. At the time, Governor Mills reiterated her belief that Maine would win this case. She pointed to the state’s deep, abiding commitment to inclusivity.
In a reflective moment, Mills remarked, “I stood in the White House and when confronted by the president of the United States, I told him I’d see him in court. Well, we did see him in court, and we won.” This decision marks Maine’s rejection of federal overreach as they see it and commitment to protecting rights of all students.