❓WHAT HAPPENED: A federal appeals court ruled that a Vermont Christian school can rejoin the state’s sports league, overturning a ban imposed after the school forfeited a game against a team with a transgender athlete.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Mid Vermont Christian School, the Vermont Principals’ Association (VPA), Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.
📍WHEN & WHERE: The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit issued its ruling in September 2025.
💬KEY QUOTE: “We conclude that plaintiffs are likely to succeed in showing that the VPA’s expulsion of Mid Vermont was not neutral because it displayed hostility toward the school’s religious beliefs.” — U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
🎯IMPACT: The ruling challenges the Vermont Principals’ Association’s policies and signals an increasing legal shift against allowing biological males to compete in girls’ sports.
A federal appeals court has ruled that Mid Vermont Christian School can participate in the state’s sports league, overturning a ban imposed after the school forfeited a high school girls’ basketball game against a team with a biologically male transgender athlete. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit granted the school a preliminary injunction on September 9, 2025, allowing it to rejoin the Vermont Principals’ Association (VPA) while legal proceedings continue.
The federal appellate court stated, “We conclude that plaintiffs are likely to succeed in showing that the VPA’s expulsion of Mid Vermont was not neutral because it displayed hostility toward the school’s religious beliefs.” The case stems from the school’s decision in 2023 to forfeit a game, citing concerns over fairness and player safety due to the presence of a transgender athlete on the opposing team.
Following the forfeit, the VPA ruled that the school violated policies on race, gender, and disability awareness, barring it from participating in all state-sponsored events, including sports, debate tournaments, and science fairs. Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), representing the school, students, and parents, argued that the state violated the school’s First Amendment rights. The organization stated that the school acted to avoid compromising its religious beliefs.
The appellate court criticized the VPA for its actions, describing the ban as “unprecedented, overbroad, and procedurally irregular.” It also pointed to comments made by VPA Executive Director Jay Nichols, who testified in favor of banning public funds for religious schools. Nichols reportedly stated, “Thank goodness the student in question didn’t attend that religious school,” which the court viewed as evidence of hostility toward the school’s religious stance.
The Trump administration supported state efforts to block transgender athletes from competing in girls’ sports, and at least 26 states have enacted laws restricting such participation. Additionally, the Department of Justice (DOJ) has taken legal action against several states, including Maine, that have attempted to circumvent federal rules. The U.S. Supreme Court is expected to address the constitutionality of these bans in its upcoming term.
Image by Oriel Frankie Ashcroft.
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