Federal Court Reinstates Vermont Christian School After Ban Over Transgender Athlete Dispute
A federal appeals court has sided with a Christian school in Vermont that was barred from state competitions after refusing to play against a team with a transgender-identifying athlete.
On September 9, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit overturned a lower court ruling and granted a preliminary injunction to Mid Vermont Christian School. The order temporarily blocks the Vermont Principals’ Association (VPA) from enforcing its expulsion while the case continues. The judges said the school is “likely to succeed” on its Free Exercise claim, noting that the VPA’s response demonstrated “hostility toward the school’s religious beliefs,” according to Fox News.
The controversy began in February 2023, when Mid Vermont’s girls’ basketball team forfeited a playoff game against Long Trail School upon learning a transgender-identifying male was on the opposing roster. School officials said they acted out of concern for both fairness and player safety.
Weeks later, the VPA expelled Mid Vermont not only from sports but also from statewide academic activities such as science fairs and spelling bees.
The Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) filed suit on behalf of the school and one of its families, arguing that Vermont officials punished Mid Vermont for exercising its constitutionally protected religious freedom.
Court documents show VPA Executive Director Jay Nichols accused the school of “blatant discrimination under the guise of religious freedom” shortly after the forfeit. The VPA’s appeals committee dismissed the school’s objections as a “myth” and declared its stance “wrong,” insisting transgender students do not create safety risks or unfair advantages.
Chris Goodwin, Mid Vermont’s head coach of nearly a decade, said the choice to forfeit was difficult but grounded in conviction. “Scripture is clear that there’s a difference between males and females,” Goodwin said. “Playing would have meant agreeing with the state’s position that boys can be girls.”
Following the expulsion, Mid Vermont athletes were forced to travel out of state to join a Christian league, limiting their visibility to recruiters and reducing opportunities for scholarships. “For our kids to lose the chance to be recognized as all-state athletes or to earn scholarships was a major disappointment,” Goodwin added.
ADF senior counsel David Cortman praised the court’s decision, saying it could protect other faith-based schools from similar conflicts. “The state forced the school into an impossible choice: compromise beliefs or lose all athletics. The court rightly corrected that injustice,” he said.
Nichols said the VPA does not comment on pending litigation but maintained the association does not discriminate on the basis of religion.
