At Saturday's meeting of the state central committee of the Republican Party of Minnesota, incoming Minnesota House Majority Leader Joyce Peppin (R-Rogers) suggested that the Minnesota State High School League might need regulation, Minnesota Public Radio's Tim Pugmire reported in Republican leader takes aim at High School League.
Southern Minnesota's newspapers are not impressed.
The editorial board of the Rochester Post Bulletin notes in Our View: Transgender athlete policy provides clarity:
Misunderstandings have been swirling for months since the Minnesota State High School League began discussing the eligibility of transgender students.
The debate wasn't about whether transgender students could play on the sports teams that align with their gender identity. It was really about establishing rules to allow them to play.
Last week, Minnesota became the 33rd state to approve guidelines for transgender students participating in high school sports. . . .
Much of opposition came from groups such as the Minnesota Family Council and the Child Protection League Action, which ran ads claiming the guidelines would mean "the end of girls' sports" and would allow boys and girls to shower together. They also said it would result in the loss of athletic opportunities and scholarships for girls.
Those ads were not true. High schools already address the locker room and showering issue for girls who want to compete in boys sports. In such instances, separate accommodations and dressing rooms are provided for female athletes. Schools would have to do the same for transgender athletes. The potential loss-of-scholarship argument is a stretch, considering just 0.3 percent of the population is transgender and not all of them play sports.
Opposition is likely to continue as Rep. Joyce Peppin, the incoming House Majority Leader, told a group of GOP activists on Saturday that she believes the MSHSL needs legislative oversight.
"I think that if folks don't like their decision, they ought to have an opportunity of some redress of grievances," said Peppin, a Republican from Rogers. . . .
The editors also ". . . take a moment to note the paradox of a small-government advocate calling for more legislative oversight..."
The Faribault Daily News shares a similar thought in MSHSL needs no additional oversight:
It's interesting that a leading member of the party of less government oversight now wants to control the Minnesota State High School League.
But it's unnecessary, and smacks of political grandstanding.
Last week, the MSHSL enacted a policy that allows transgender athletes to participate in high school sports teams that align with their gender identity. The decision came after the draft policy was first considered in July, tabled in October and generated much public input and debate. It has been discussed by the league off and on for eight years. The MSHSL said it received more than 10,000 emails on the issue.
Minnesota is the 33rd state in the nation with such a policy.
Three days later, state Rep. Joyce Peppin (R-Rogers) told a group of GOP activists that she is concerned about the MSHSL's decision and its autonomy in general, according to a story from MPRNews.org.
Neither did the three other GOP lawmakers who told the MSHSL at its meeting that it is the Legislature, not the league, that should be handling this policy.
Oh, the irony.
Peppin's timing is suspect, and in fact, really isn't that subtle. The state representative, who will take over as state House majority leader in January, doesn't like the MSHSL's decision, which is consistent with state and federal laws. In fact, the reason the league brought up a policy for discussion this year is because the U.S. Department of Education said any district receiving Title IX money could not discriminate against a student based on their gender identity.
So, unless Peppin intends to propose legislation stripping every school district in Minnesota of its Title IX money just to make a point, the debate is over.
But as the leader of House, Peppin has the opportunity to set the agenda on what legislation makes the floor -- and what doesn't.
We hope cooler heads in the party prevail, and that the GOP leadership reminds Peppin to stick to its long-held tenet that less government is better.
The MSHSL has no need of legislative oversight.
The papers aren't impressed and neither are we.
Meme: McKayla Maroney Not Impressed.
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